Under Fire
by sailorraven34
Summary: Natalie and Alex Nero have successfully destroyed Overlord, but neither of them are prepared for a new enemy, or the surprises that life will throw at them. Contains Naven. Sequel to And Then There was Cheese
1. Chapter 1

**Natalie: … I have a feeling I am going to regret this. Hope, do you want to explain what happened before?**

**Hope: Yes! So me and my sister Natalie and my brother Alex got a letter from our parents, and then we got captured by Pie Tarp Funhouse-**

**Natalie: Pietor Furan.**

**Hope: Yeah, whatever. And then we met our parents, Raven and Nero, but then Raven died, and there was this Overlord guy, and I was like "I shall destroy you!" and then I took my sword and-**

**Natalie: To make a long story short, we escaped and went home, and I found a letter from my mum that said that my father was really Overlord… and then I killed Hope.**

**Hope: Which sucked. **

**Natalie: And then Alex and Laura and all those other people had to go and save my cuz I got captured by Overlord and he was controlling me- er, we're running out of space, can we skip ahead a bit?**

**Hope: Aw… anyway they saved her and Furan died and then this Katarina person caused a bunch of trouble, and then lost her memory and started going out with Alex. And Raven came back and she and Nero had a baby named Hallie. And Otto faked his death so Laura and their three kids would be safe. **

**Natalie: And… oh, yeah. Raven found her brother, whose name is Sirius. But he died before he could give her information. And… I think that's about it. **

**Hope: Did you mention how awesome I am, and how much it sucks that I'm dead?**

**Natalie:…**

Natalie Nero gripped the knife in one hand, lashing out. Her opponent dodged her easily.

"_I just- I just don't want you to die!" Natalie exploded. _

"_Funny, because I don't give a damn about you." Alex said coolly. _

Rage filled her, and she feinted left and stabbed right. Her adversary toppled, only to be replaced by another.

_She grabbed Hope, slamming her into the wall. _

"_You won't." Hope said calmly. _

_"Won't what?" Natalie snarled, stepping forward, pinning Hope to the wall. She traced the knife around the edge of Hope's face. The little girl stared unflinchingly back at her.  
"You wouldn't dare kill me." Hope said, her voice totally calm. "I'm your sister."_

_"Not anymore." Natalie snarled. Then she jammed the knife into Hope's chest. _

She fought faster and harder, sweat beading on her forehead.

Am I turning into him?_she wondered. _Am I going to start killing my friends?

Natalie cried out as sudden pain flooded her body. She grabbed her hand, which was now covered in blood. She had broken the lamp that sat on her bedside table. The knife dropped from her hand, and the simulation disappeared.

"I am sorry." H.I.V. said. "You were going too fast, I did not have time to improve your opponents."

"That's okay." Natalie whipped her hand on her shirt. "It's cool."

She picked up the tiny black box she had also knocked off the table, and opened it. There it was… the tiny gold ring with the crystal rose in the middle.

I.e., doom. The end of the world as we know it.

She blinked and rubbed her head. _Why couldn't IT have gotten destroyed?!_

Her blackbox beeped. It was Mark. He would want an answer. She ignored it. She had none to give. Or rather, none that she could give. She knew this would be her undoing, just like her mother.

Ninja assassins do not fall in love.

And if they do, it never works out.


	2. Chapter 2

_Aliya Serov._ Raven typed.

The message popped up again. Not found.

Raven swore. Why? Why did _her _parents have to be, as far as she could tell, the only people not in the database?! This was so annoying! It could be important.

She knew Max knew something about them, but he wouldn't say, and short of kidnapping him and interrogating him, she couldn't think of any way to get it out of him. And she wasn't that desperate-yet.

BANG!

Raven stood up.

"Siri?" she called. "What are the triplets doing?"

There was a pause, then "I dunno, mum!"

Raven cursed. _Figures. The one time I have children on purpose and I get three of them. _

She left her room and headed down the hall. When they had rebuilt H.I.V.E., Nero had expanded his quarters, making room for her and Hallie. Siri and the triplets had soon followed. Not only were there three of them, but each one seemed to be determined to cause as much trouble as physically possible. She supposed that was probably her fault… she was, unfortunately, very good at trouble-causing, and so was Nero, but Viktor, Ivan and Max seemed to be determined to drive her insane. And it didn't help that they were still only toddlers.

There was another crash, and Raven located the source of the sound- the bathroom. She forced the door open with her shoulder and screamed.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF FLYING RAINBOW MONKEYS ARE YOU DOING!?" she shrieked.

"The wall broke." Max gestured uselessly towards the huge gaping hole in the wall now covered with Scotch tape. "So…we tried to fix it."

"ARRRG- what's this?"

Raven picked the file folder off the floor.

"It fell out of the wall." Viktor said. Ivan nodded furiously.

"You three- stay put!" Raven opened the file and pulled out a thin piece of paper.

She gasped.

_Mission: Assassination of Aliya, Viktor, Sirius, Thea and Natalya Serov. Headed by Maximillain Nero. _


	3. Chapter 3

"_The little girl escaped."_

_He glanced down at the woman on the floor and shrugged. "She's just a child, what harm could she possibly do?"_

"_You'd be surprised." The woman said. _

"_You be silent." He kicked her in the stomach, and she gasped. "Now give me the little one." _

_The woman didn't move. Though her lower lip was trembling, her eyes were hard and cold like ice. _

"_Fine." Nero said, and shot her in the chest._

###

"Dad!"

Nero looked up from the paper. "What, is something wrong… er, where are you?"

"Up here!"

He looked up and saw Hallie's face peeking down at him from the grate that led to the ventilation system. Nero sighed and stood up, climbing onto his chair to let her out. She landed catlike on the floor, then straightened up.

"It's Mum. Siri said she passed out."

"What? Natalya- darnit!" Nero jumped up. "Where is she?"

"Back in your quarters." Hallie said. "And yes, the ventilation system really is faster, I timed it."

"Great." Nero muttered . "Well, I'm not doing that, so… let's go!"

###

Natalie was lying on her bed when Mark came in.

"I need to talk to you, I know you're avoiding me." He said.

Natalie grunted and shoved her face in her pillow. She felt like she might be sick again, like she had this morning, and wasn't in a very talkative mood.

"It's not about… that." Mark said. "Well, it kind of is."

Natalie looked up.

"Nero offered me a mission." He said. "He said you didn't want it."

"What?" Natalie sat up, fully alert now. "The really long one?"

"Yes." Mark said. "I'll be cut off from you for… at least six months, maybe more. Which is why… I wanted an answer."

"I'm sorry." Natalie said. "I still don't know."

"Ah well." Mark leaned in and kissed her. "See you in the morning then?"

"Okay." Natalie said.

Mark started to leave.

"I promise I'll give you one before you leave!" Natalie called.

"Good." Mark said, smiling as he pulled her door closed.


	4. Chapter 4

Raven was slumped on the floor. Nero ran over to her and shook her shoulders.

"Natalya! Natalya…" He turned to Viktor, Ivan, Siri, Hallie and Max. "What happened?"

"She… read some kind of file." Ivan said. "That." He pointed to it on the ground.

Nero picked it up.

"Huh?" he said. "I ordered this destroyed… years and years ago… so why is this back here?"

"What is it?" Hallie asked.

"It's… just an old record." Nero said. "Can you please go and shred it for me? It will only cause trouble."

"Are you sure?" Hallie asked. "It seems like it might be importa-"

"Just do it." Nero snarled.

Ravne's eyes flickered open. "Max…"

"Natalya… is something wrong?" he asked.

"Something… I…" Raven rubbed her head. "I hit… I hit my head on something… can't remember."

"Are you okay?" Nero pulled her to her feet. She leaned on his shoulder. "Are you bleeding?"

"I… am I?" Raven touched her forehead. "I think… maybe I should go to the hospital…."

"Yes…" Nero gathered her up in his arms. "Let's go."

Once they were gone, Hallie came back in.

"He gave her an injection." She said.

"What?"

"Nero. He had a syringe… and he put the needle into Raven's arm." Hallie pulled out the file. "I think he wanted to make her forget this."

"You still have the file?" Siri asked, taking it from her sister. "What… this is just some old mission."

"It's got to be important if he took it away from her." Hallie said.

"We should give this to Natalie." Ivan said, looking up from putting tape in his brother's hair.

"Yep." Said Max "Hey… what are you doing?!" He pulled a piece of tape from his hair and threw it at his brother.

"Okay, seriously… we need to focus." Siri adjusted her glasses.

"Er… we do?" Viktor asked.

"Does this mean we don't have to fix the shower?" Ivan asked.

"FORGET ABOUT THE SHOWER!" Hallie yelled. "THIS IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THEN BATHROOM FIXTURES!"


	5. Chapter 5

Natalie woke up to see her younger siblings standing over her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, rubbing her forehead. "Hey- MAX DON'T TOUCH THAT!" She stood up and grabbed the box from her little brother's hand.

"What's in there?" Siri asked curiously.

"Never you mind." Natalie snapped. "What did you come and wake me up for?"

Hallie quickly explained the situation. Natalie rubbed her head, and took the file.

"As far as I can tell, when Ne- Dad was younger, he went and killed this family." Natalie said. "But… why does it matter?"

"Do you know why?" Hallie asked.

"This guy named Viktor was doing something that G.L.O.V.E. thought was dangerous." Natalie said, scanning the pages. "But it doesn't say what it was… Maybe you should ask Alex about it… he knows everything… well, everything in The World According To Alex…"

"Alex is off with Katarina again." Hallie told her. "And we don't need The World According To Alex right now."

"I don't think you ever need TWATA ever." Natalie muttered. Then she forced a smile. "Well… you should go and talk to Laura about it. She could probably find some way to retrieve the information on the computer, even if it _was_ destroyed."

"Really?" Siri asked.

"Yes- IVAN, DO NOT PUT TAPE ON MY CURTAINS!" Natalie grabbed the tape dispenser in one hand and her brother in the other. "Geez… I dunno how Raven does this. If I had even _one_ of you three…" she glared at the triplets "I swear I would go completely insane- MAXIMILLIAN, THAT IS NOT A SWING! "

###

Raven looked exhausted as she lay back down on the bed.

"Is something wrong?" Nero asked nervously. The memory serum he'd used on her was experimental, and he was scared something might have gone wrong.

"No… I think I might be coming down with something." Raven yawned. "I'm just gonna take… a little nap…"

She was asleep in moments. Nero sat next to her holding her hand. She seemed a little pale, but he thought she would be alright. He slipped his hand from hers and went back to work.

So when Raven woke up screaming, the sheets twisted around her, there was no one to hear her.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex and Katarina were in Alex's room. Katarina sighed.

"What's up with your sister?"

"Which one?" Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"Natalie."

Alex frowned, and Katarina hoped it wasn't a mistake to bring this up. Natalie always made Alex grouchy.

Katarina knew he was jealous.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with her?" Alex asked. "Other then, you know, the obvious."

"I dunno… she just seems out of it." Katarina shrugged. "And tired, and stuff."

"She probably has a cold or something." Alex said. "I'm not going to waste time worrying about her."

"Okay… fine." Katarina said.

What sounded like a small herd of elephants thundered past. But it was really only the triplets, Siri, Hallie and Natalie, off to go find Laura.

"And she's always with the little kids." Katarina said.

"I don't see how that's wrong." Alex said.

"It's out of character." Katarina pointed out.

"Still." Alex said. "She's fine."

"If you say so…" Katarina muttered. She stood up. "I wonder what they're doing…"

"No… don't go out there…" Alex muttered. But Katarina wasn't listening.

She was a few steps down the hallway when she dropped to her knees and grabbed her head. Alex saw and raced towards her. "Kat!" He grabbed her shoulders. "Is everything-"

Katarina whipped around and threw him easily over her shoulder. Alex landed on his feet and yanked the sword from the sheath on his back, but he hesitated. Even if Katarina had returned to her original hostile state, he didn't want to hurt her. Katarina had no such feelings, and aimed a killing blow at his throat. Alex brought his sword up, cutting into Katarina's hand. She cried out, and Alex bit his lip, then slammed the hilt of his sword into her head. She crumpled.

"Natalie!" Alex yelled. She turned around.

"Is something wrong?" she asked coldly.

"Katarine just went psycho on me." Alex said.

"No wonder, the way you lead her on like that." Natalie snarled. "You don't care about her, you just use her because she's pretty. The instant you get Laura, you'll ditch her."

Alex shrugged. "What can I say?" he asked. "It's the truth."

Natalie said something rude.

"Thank you." Alex said, bowing.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Natalie said, folding her arms.

"Help me carry her." Alex ordered.

Natalie snorted. "Do it yourself."

"I guess I could have seen that one coming." Alex muttered, slinging Katarina over his shoulder. "Ah, well…"


	7. Chapter 7

Angelique Malpense grabbed the box from her older sister. "It's MINE!"

"But I need it! I'm out!" Alia tried to snatch it back, but her sister held firm. "Gwen, back me on this one!"

Guinevere, who was reading in a chair near the two, yawned. "Mmm?"

"Tell her I'm making a necklace for Mum, and I'm out of pink beads." Alia demanded. "And I was borrowing some of hers when she took it from me!"

"It's not 'borrowing' if you don't return them." Gwen said seriously. "The definition of 'borrow' is-"

"Shut up!" Alia yelled. "GIVE-ME-THE-BOX!"

"But it's MIIIIINE!" Angelique shrieked.

"What in the world is going on?" Laura asked, sticking her head in the door.

Angelique dropped the box, and Alia dived for it at the same time she did. They smashed into each other, and sat up, dizzy.

"We're having a literary discussion." Gwen said happily.

"Ah." Laura said, frowning at her three daughters. "Well, don't kill each other." And she vanished back into the kitchen.

"She never pays us any attention anymore." Tobias grumbled, entering the room.

"She's just tired." Gwen said, parroting the excuse Shelby and Natalie kept telling them,

"So?" Tobias snapped. "I'm tired too."

"That's because you stayed up until ten last night playing Angry Birds on your blackbox even after Mum told you not to." Angelique said, rubbing her eyes.

"Shut up." Tobias hissed.

"That's m-mean." Angelique whispered, and started to cry.

"Oh, for crying out…" Tobias muttered. "Sorry, Angel. I didn't mean to be mean. But don't tell Mum, 'kay?"

"I won't." Angelique muttered. Then she shrieked and clapped her hands over her ears, shielding herself from a sound only she could here.

"Stop playing around." Alia said bossily. She picked up the box of beads. "I'm going to my room."

"I wish Dad was here." Angelique whispered, rubbing her cheek.

"You've never actually met him." Gwen pointed out. "He died before you were born."

"I don't care." Angelique said. "I'm sure he could explain…" she trailed off.

"Explain what?" Tobias asked.

"Nothing…" Angelique muttered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Raven's kids are Natalie(Natalia), Alex(Alexei), Annicka, Hope, Hallie, Siri, Viktor, Ivan and Max. **

Raven thrashed as the pain ripped through her again and again. She gasped, jerking awake and screaming. It felt like there was liquid fire inside of her, scorching her insides. She twisted, and crashed to the ground. She stood up, crying out in agony, and grabbed her black box.  
"Max." she gasped. "I need you... something's gone wrong... very wrong..."  
"Is it another baby?" Nero asked, sounding nervous.  
"No! Just get here-"  
The black box clattered to the floor. She collapsed, her limbs refusing to function properly.  
Just a few more minutes, Raven thought. I can handle that...  
But it was taking so long... a thought flashed through her head.  
_Max found out about Furan and Siri, and he's going to leave me here to die._  
Raven shook her head. That didn't even make sense. _I must be in shock... or maybe I am knocked up. God, I hope not.  
_The actual reason it was taking Nero so long was that the door to his office was stuck, and it was very hard to fix a door and call the hospital wing and tell them to send someone to go and get Raven at the same time. So by the time he was out of there, Raven was unconscious and undergoing surgery for severe internal bleeding. He called Natalie, who promised to get all of her siblings over there (except Alex), and then he called Professor Pike and described the situation.  
"She had a bad reaction to the serum, Max." the professor said solemnly. "There's nothing to do but wait now."

###

Sofia slid down the rope and landed silently on the roof. She gave Otto a thumbs up, then slid her goggles over her eyes and pressed the button on her suit. She vanished.

Otto watched as the hatch to the roof seemed to open and shut of its own accord. Sofia had been a thief when they had first met. She'd tried to take something from him, but Otto had tracked her down and forced her to give it back. She'd started following him around, asking questions. Eventually they had become friends, and now she was helping him with his quest to take down Argentum's allies. The man may have been executed, but Otto didn't believe that was the end. There was something else going on…

He waited for what felt like hours for Sofia to return. Sirius' car also had a feature that was a bit like a Shroud, and so Otto could wait invisibly for Sofia to return with the data he had requested. It was good he had her for this sort of thing now, because sometimes it seemed that he was about as subtle as an elephant. He wished he could have brought Natalie too, but she was the closest thing he had to family and he didn't want her to get hurt as well. Plus, there was no way she would ever leave her family.

Sofia reappeared, but Otto could see something was wrong. She seemed to be moving gingerly, wincing every couple of steps. She clipped herself onto the line and Otto pulled her up. He could instantly see what was wrong. Her fingers were pressed to her side, but blood was leaking out between them.

"What happened?" Otto asked.

"Nearly got caught." Sofia shrugged. "But I got it."

"Good." Otto said, hitting the accelerator.

"What is it?" Sofia asked. "I don't fully understand…"

"Records." Otto said. "I need to know more about Overlord."

"Why? You said he was gone."

"He is. But I still want to see how they were using him." Otto said. "I think it's important."

"Oh." Sofia said. "She was there. That girl, the teenager. I got the feeling…" She rubbed her forehead. "that she knew I was there even though I was invisible."


	9. Chapter 9

Nero came into Raven's room quietly. Raven smiled weakly at him. Hallie, Siri and Natalie were standing by her bed, and the triplets were hanging off of things and generally being a nuisance.

"Are you feeling alright?" Nero asked Raven.

"As long as I don't move, it's okay." Raven shrugged. "They fixed the problem- it'll be okay soon." She looked uncomfortable. "Can… can we talk?"

"Sure." Nero said, sitting down on the edge of her bed and taking her hand.

"Alone?" Raven asked.

"I'll go." Natalie said, rising. "Come on, you five."

As they left, Nero watched Raven carefully. "What is it?"

"I wanted to tell you…" Raven said. "I can't lie anymore."

"About what? What's wrong?"

"Siri is not your daughter." Raven said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Nero asked.

"I mean Furan forced me to… to…" Raven bit her lip. "to do something I didn't want, and then I found out about Siri the next day."

"What?" Nero snarled. "_Again_?"

"Yes." Raven said, staring down at her hands.

"And you kept this from me for five years?!" _Even though I've hidden something far worse for far longer. _

"I couldn't…" Raven said, rubbing her forehead. "I just… we were happy and I wanted it to stay that way."

"So you were a selfish coward." Nero said coldly.

Raven nodded. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "And… the doctor… he said there was an unknown chemical in my bloodstream."

"What?"

"There's something in me that no one else has." Raven said. "And it's been there for years… since I was born, maybe."

"That's not a big surprise- you're pretty special." Nero said. "Of course, that's not always a good thing." He added.

Raven flinched like she'd been slapped. "I'm sick because of it." She said. "Either it hit some sort of expiration date or it got combined with something else, and it started destroying stuff inside of me. They fixed most of the damage… but they can't stop it from causing more."

"So… what?"

"So I won't be able to do anything I used to." Raven said. "I'll be stuck here forever."

Natalie sucked in a breath from where she'd be listening in at the door. Even though Raven had retired mostly after Hallie's birth, she still did a lot. And without her… Natalie would have to take her place.

And Natalie didn't want that.

She pulled out her black box and pressed a few buttons.

"Otto?" she asked. "This is me. Don't ask how I figured out this was your number. We need to talk. Call me back and fast. Bye."


	10. Chapter 10

Alex was alone with Laura. Well, he wished he was alone with Laura. Unfortunately, Alia and Tobias were playing video games on the carpet, Angelique was showing him her doll, and Gwen had somehow ended up on Alex's shoulders and was putting pink clips in his hair.

"You do this every day?" Alex said with grudging respect.

"Yeah, well, you get used to it after a while." Laura said.

"Ah." Alex said. He explained what had happened with Katarina.

"Has she woken up yet?" Laura asked.

"Yeah, and she was perfectly normal."

"It's like Raven, when she went to go the retrieval." Laura said thoughtfully.

"Yeah." Alex said, trying to sound smart. "That's what I thought too."

Laura laughed.

Alia and Tobias ran out of the room, laughing and slipping on the floor in their socks. Gwen went off to go and get more hair clips.

Laura leaned on Alex's shoulder. "Is something wrong? You seem… out of it."

"No… I'm fine." Alex said.

Angelique yawned.

"Why don't you go and get ready for bed, sweetheart?" Laura asked.

"Okay." Angelique hopped off the couch and ran out of sight.

"She's sweet." Alex said.

"Yeah…" Laura said.

"Not as much as you, though."

Alex took Laura's face in his hands and kissed her. Unlike the first time, Laura didn't seem to be frightened. She slid her arms around Alex's neck and kissed back.

When they broke apart, Laura smiled at Alex. "Thanks." she whispered. "I needed that."

Alex grinned back, but didn't say anything. He was watching the four faces in the doorway, watching with big eyes.

"I…" he responded. "I love you."

Laura touched Alex's cheek, then yawned. "It's getting pretty late…"

"Mind if I stay here?" he asked.

She didn't.


	11. Chapter 11

"What were you doing last night?"

Alex sighed. He was getting a little annoyed with Natalie, who kept questioning him.

"I was with Laura."

Natalie's eyebrows looked like they were trying to fly off her face. "Reeeeally?"

"Yes." Alex snapped. "I broke up with Katarina this morning."

"Really?"

"I left a message, she didn't pick up." Alex said, rolling his eyes.

"_Because she was in the hospital?_"

Alex sighed. "You obviously want to tell me something, so go ahead."

Natalie opened her mouth, but then her black box beeped. She pulled it out and checked her message.

"Great." She said.

"What's great?" Alex wanted to know.

"Otto is going to meet me tomorrow or the next day."

"Otto?"

"I want him to see if he can help Mum." Natalie said. "I don't want her to die."

"What's wrong with Mum?" Alex asked.

Natalie gaped at him.

"You missed the fact that she's hospitalized?" she hissed.

"Yes." Alex said. "What happened?"

Natalie explained. Then she added what Hallie had told her about Nero giving Raven some injection.

"I bet it had to do with the file." Alex said.

"And now Nero's mad at her." Natalie said. "Because Raven told him Siri was Furan's daughter."

Alex looked at her strangely.

"_Siri_?"

"Yes, I know." Natalie said. Siri was the least athletic of the family. "I don't get it either… but Raven seemed pretty sure."

"Ah, well." Alex said. "I could see why Nero'd be mad, if she didn't tell him."

"Yeah, me too." Natalie said. "But could he be angry later?"

Both of them turned around as they heard someone scream.

"What was that?" Alex asked.

"It sounded like a little kid." Natalie said, already running. "And speaking of kids, Katarina's pregnant." she added as Alex started after her.

Alex tried to stop, but tripped over his own feet and went sprawling.

"Wow." said Natalie dryly. "That was almost a somersault. You must join the circus."

"Shut up." Alex muttered.


	12. Chapter 12

It was Angelique who was screaming. She was sitting on the floor of her mother's room, her hands covered in blood. Gwen was next to her on the ground, totally still.

Laura shoved Alex and Natalie out of the way, snatching up her daughter. "Angel, what happened?!" she yelled.

The little girl continued to wail. Laura shook her by the shoulders, seemingly hysterical. "What happened!?"

"Calm down." Natalie said calmly, grabbing Angelique from her mother. She looked straight into the girl's eyes and said "No one's mad at you, Angel. But we need to know what happened. So can you please try to calm down and tell us?"

Angelique took a few shaky breaths, then whispered. "I woke up on the floor and she was like this." she whispered, then began to cry again.

"Okay." Natalie said. "Laura, you take Gwen to the hospital-"

"There's no point." Alex said. "She's dead."

Natalie shot him a fierce glare, and Laura started to cry. "What..?" she whispered. "I…. she…"

"Alex, do what I say." Natalie snarled.

"Fine." Alex grumbled, picking up Gwen and vanishing from sight.

"Laura, stay here." Natalie said. "Make sure Angelique does too, okay? I'm not sure what's going on, but we don't need any more insanity."

"Okay." Laura whispered.

Natalie opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't have anything that could help Laura. _I'm sorry._ She thought. _This isn't fair that you have to suffer so much. _

###

Raven and Nero were talking when Natalie rushed in. They still seemed to be annoyed at each other, because Nero was speaking with an icy politeness that fooled no one, and Raven seemed very interested in the blankets wrapped around her.

"Mum, Dad! Something's going on." Natalie said, and she repeated what had happened.

"Poor Laura." Raven said quietly, looking up for a moment, then going straight back to the blankets.

"I think someone must have figured out how to control us from outside." Nero said. "Like Overlord did to you."

"That would make sense." Natalie said. "It probably happened to Katarina."

"What should we do about it?" Raven asked, still looking down.

"I don't know." Nero said. "But you should probably bring Angelique and Laura here. For shock."

"Okay, I'll go and get them." Natalie said. She paused. "This means… we can't trust anyone right now, can we?"

Nero didn't answer.


	13. Chapter 13

Nero left Raven's bedside half an hour later. Maybe he would have felt more sympathy for her… if she hadn't done the same thing twenty five years ago.

He saw Laura, who looked like she was talking to Katarina, who was out of the hospital after her sonogram.

"So… you and Alex are together now?" Katarina asked. The smile on her face had a fixed, frozen look, like she was afraid to cry for fear she'd fall apart altogether.

"Yeah." Laura said. "But… I still love Otto. And if he came back somehow… I'd pick him."

"But Otto's dead." Katarina said. "They found his body…"

Laura shrugged. "I saw Raven die, and she's still around, isn't she?"

"What are you two talking about?" said a voice. Otto/Bill walked past him and sat down next to Laura.

"Oh, hi." Laura said.

"I- gotta go." Katarina said, rushing off.

Laura and Otto/Bill stood around awkwardly for a moment.

"If… you see Otto…" Laura said quietly.

"What?"

"If you see Otto, tell him I still love him." Laura said. She looked at Otto/Bill knowingly. "But… it's been five years. I can't wait forever. I don't think… I don't think he's ever coming back."

_She knows._

Otto/Bill put his hand on Laura's shoulder.

"He will someday." He said quietly.

"Dad!"

Nero turned around. "Hallie?"

"It's Mum." Hallie said, seemingly on the verge of tears. "She suddenly got much, much worse…"

Nero turned around and started running. _I'm sorry, Natalya. I have to be there for you now, don't I? Regardless of what you've done. I have to get there in time…_

"It's too late." Hallie called.

Nero froze.

"They tried to do something for her… but…. it didn't work." Hallie said. "She died five minutes ago."

**Raven is not dead. Again. **

**Today I called someone Otto…. I think I spend too much time thinking about this story. **


	14. Chapter 14

Raven wasn't dead. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but it seemed like she might be being kidnapped.

"Hang on, Mum." hissed a voice. Natalie. There was something important… something she needed to tell her. But she couldn't latch on to things like that in this dark place where she seemed to be floating.

There was the sound of footsteps.

"Where were you?" Natalie said, sounding annoyed.

"Getting this." said a voice, Otto's probably. "It'll stabilize her for a little while." There was a sharp prick to her arm, and all of the sudden relief flooded her and she was able to open her eyes. She was in the backseat of what looked like a car. Otto and Natalie were sitting next to her, and a completely unfamiliar woman was driving.

"Remind me to get you a doctor appointment when we get back." Raven said. "I'm pretty sure… but I don't want to say anything until I'm 100% positive…"

"What?" Natalie asked.

"I said I'm not telling." Raven said. "Where are you doing? Why have you taken me from the hospital?"

"We need your help, Raven." Otto said. "Natalie has figured out that someone evil has figured out how to control us from far away. We need to figure it out who they are and stop them."

"Sepia London?" Raven asked.

"It might be." Otto said. "But it could also be someone else, and you're good at this sort of thing, Raven."

"Tracking people down?" Raven said. "Yeah, I suppose… but I usually know who I'm looking for."

"Sofia has some stuff she can show you." Otto said. "But I'll wait until we land."

"Otto…" Natalie said. "You ran into Laura, didn't you?"

"Yep." Otto said.

"Aaaand…"

"She knew it was me." Otto said. "She always knew…"

"And…"

"She asked for another kid… so I guess I listened?" Otto said. "What's with all the questions?"

"I just…" Natalie shrugged. She mumbled something.

"Didn't catch that." Otto said.

"I… didn't you leave Laura to protect her?" Natalie said. "So what are you doing fooling around with her again?"


	15. Chapter 15

"I'm not fooling around." Otto said coldly.

"Going and having a kid with the girl you left to protect her definitely counts as 'fooling around.'" Natalie said.

"Maybe the only reason you have issues with what I'm doing is because you don't have anyone!" Otto growled.

There was a silence, broken by Sofia, who whistled.

"I do so!" Natalie hissed. "Mark asked me to marry him!"

"Really." Otto said. "And you accepted?"

Natalie faltered. "N-no…"

"You realize he left a few hours ago." Otto said. "You didn't have a chance to say goodbye or tell him yes or no, and you won't for a long time. What if he meets someone else?"

"You know what, you should shut up." Natalie hissed.

"You two! Stop!" Raven yelled. "You're giving me a headache! Both of you, apologize!"

Otto and Natalie both mumbled something that sounded vaguely like sorry.

"We're nearly there now." Sofia said.

"And who is this?" Natalie said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you're working with a pretty girl." Natalie said. "I can't help but wonder…"

"What are you suggesting?" Otto raised an eyebrow.

"That you might also be interesting in Sofia." Natalie said.

"He is not." Sofia said quietly. "I have someone."

"Really?" Otto said. "You never told me that."

"My point exactly." Natalie muttered.

###

Nero stood silently in the hallway for a few moments.

"I'm sorry." Hallie said quietly. "I tried to find you as fast as I could, but they sent me the message-"

"No- it's not your fault." Nero said tiredly. "Go and try to relax. Find Siri and the triplets."

"Okay." Hallie put her arms around him. "I… I…"

"Just go." Nero said.

Hallie dashed off. Nero pulled something from his pocket, the leftover serum. He focused on what he wanted to forget, and pressed it into his arm.


	16. Chapter 16

Katarina came up behind Nero, startling him.

"I'm sorry about Raven." She said.

Nero blinked. For a moment, he looked dazed and confused, but then he said. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Raven." Katarina repeated the hairs on the back of her neck prickling.

"I don't know who you're talking about." Nero said calmly.

"You know, Raven." Katarina felt a bit frantic. "Your wife. Alex's mum?"

"I'm not married." Nero said, blinking at her.

"But…" Katarina said. "But…"

"Now excuse me, I have work to do." Nero said, pushing past her.

Katarina stood frozen for a few minutes. What was going on?

###

For a moment, Nero had the feeling that there was something he had forgotten. But it passed, and he continued back to his room without incident.

Until he entered the room. There were five children sitting on the bed, all with dark hair. The feeling of having forgotten something came back, but Nero banished it.

"Who are you?" he said coldly, turning off the TV show the kids were watching. "How did you get in?"

"We live here, Dad." The girl with glasses said.

"I have no idea who you are." Nero said coldly. He pulled out his blackbox. "There are five children in my quarters. Please escort them to the brig."

"What, you're going to lock us up?" the oldest said. "We're just kids!"

"I don't know who you are, and so I don't know if I can trust you." Nero said. "So you must be restrained. Besides…. I've seen kids do some crazy things."

There it was again, that feeling.

The guards came and took the five away. As they left, one of the boys called "Did Mum put you up to this? For the bathroom?"

Nero shrugged. "I have no idea."


	17. Chapter 17

"Alex!"

Alex turned around. "What- oh, you."

Katarina flushed.

"If you're going to hit me, hurry up and do it." Alex muttered.

"I'm not going to… but I might later." Katarina stopped in front of him. "Something's seriously wrong with Nero! He forgot about Raven!"

"What?!" Alex spluttered.

"Yes!" Katarina grabbed his arm. "So we-"

Alex didn't hear the rest of what she said. The instant she touched him, he had a strange feeling. He pulled Raven's katana from his belt and ran off. _Find Laura Malpense._

"Alex! Alex, WAIT!" Katarina yelled.

_And then kill her. _

###

Laura was standing in her room, staring out the doorway Otto had disappeared through. She didn't know when she'd see him again… but he still loved her, and that was enough.

Alex came in. She stood up, guilt flooding her. She liked Alex too… definitely not as much, but still enough.

"Alex?" she asked. "You okay?"

Alex was holding his katana, and he looked kind of angry. He started towards her.

"Alex- Alex, what are you doing-"

He stabbed her in the chest.

Laura fell, gasping.

Alex shook his head, seeming to wake up. "Laura?! Laura- ohmigod!" He picked her up and started running, nearly knocking over Katarina, who was standing totally still in the doorway.

Katarina picked up her blackbox.

"Dr. Nero, sir?" she said. "I think Alex just tried to kill Laura."

"Bring him here." Nero said.

"What… what'll happen to him?" Katarina couldn't help but ask.

"He'll be executed." Nero said.

###

Raven sat in Otto's room, poring over the data.

"They mention golddleaf a few times…" she muttered. "So it must be someone who knows about that. You, Mark, Natalie… but you can be trusted. Ashe and Furan- I BET IT'S HIM!"

"Er… Raven… he's dead…" Natalie pointed out.

"He might not be!" Raven spluttered. "We only ever had Anastasia's word that he died… and she's about as trustworthy as a-"

"Okay… but Raven… don't you think your jumping to conclusions here?" Otto said. "I mean, you and Furan kind of… hate each other."

"And why would he do this?" Sofia asked.

"HE DOESN'T NEED A REASON!" Raven yelled, throwing the computer across the room. "HE'S THAT EVIL!"

"Really…?" Otto muttered, picking up the pieces of the laptop.


	18. Chapter 18

"Sorry." Raven said. "I just get… worked up sometimes."

"What about Anastasia?" Natalie said. "Furan obviously would have told her. We think she's dead, but do we know for sure?"

"I know." Raven said, crossing her arms. "She has this annoying habit of pretending to die, then popping up when you least expect her to. It's very annoying."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Um, pot calling the kettle black?"

"I only turn up when people want me." Raven sniffed. "Or what about that girlfriend of Alex's? She used to be evil, right?"

"Katarina?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah-" Raven's eyes suddenly widened. "She… she looks like Anastasia! That's who she reminds me of!"

"What- Katarina?" Otto said. "They don't look a thing alike-"

"No… they just have the same expressions." Raven closed her eyes. "I can't believe it took me so long to figure this out!"

"Sofia?" Otto asked. "Do you know anything about Katarina London?"

"I can look her up." Sofia said, going to get another computer.

"Find out about her parents!" Raven called.

"Father is Jace London." Sofia called. "No mention of a mother. Has a brother and a sister, brother and dad are dead."

"Her mom must be Anastasia!" Raven yelled. (Sofia held on tighter to her laptop) She stood up, and then sat back down again. "Darn it… Otto, can you get me more of that medicine stuff?"

"Sure." Otto said.

"I'll go." Natalie said, standing up and going out into the hall.

"What do you think is wrong with Natalie?" Otto asked Raven in an undertone.

"I think…" Raven ran her fingers through her hair. "I think she might be pregnant. I'm not totally sure, though."

"What?" Otto spluttered.

"Yeah." Raven said. "She's been acting odd and Laura said she'd been sick."

"Geez." Sofia said. "And her boyfriend's gone, too…"

"I know, that's why I didn't want to say anything in case I'm wrong. No point getting her all worked up for no-" Natalie entered the room and she hurriedly said "And then I think I need to have another look at the thing…"

"Are you guys okay?" Natalie said self-consciously(they were all watching her very closely.)

"Yeah." Raven said. "Just fine."


	19. Chapter 19

"_No!" the woman screamed, stumbling backwards. She burst through the heavy double doors. _Where is Max?_ But the large room was deserted. _

_She slid under a table, pressing her back against the wall and curling up in a ball. _Please don't find me, please, please, please-

I can always find you. I am in your mind. _A burst of maniacal laughter echoed in her ears. She shivered. _No, no, no…!

_Something crashed in the distance. She chanced a peek out from the shadows…_

_Red light exploded all around her, throwing her off her feet. She slammed down into the ground. Her whole body felt like it had been thrown into a fireplace. _

_The next thing she knew, she was on the ground and Nero was staring down at her. Next to him was what looked like one of his students, pale and dark haired. _

Why are you here?! _she wanted to scream. _Something's wrong! You're in danger! Get out get out get out!

_But her mind seemed jumbled, and she could only way "Wrong…"_

"_Ashe?" Nero asked. "Ashe, are you okay?"_

"_Okay." She echoed. _

"_How'd you get burned?" the girl asked, holding up Ashe's hand. It was covered in red scars crisscrossing her arms like lightning bolts. _

"_Natalya, shush." Nero growled. _

_She had seen her before, the girl. She was Nero's girlfriend, though she was barely half his age. The red light that seemed to her to hang in the air gathered around Natalya, encircling her head in a glowing tiara. _

"_Who is she?" Natalya asked. "I think I've seen her before…"_

"_Ashe Afrun- oops, it's Meroski now, isn't it?" Nero shrugged. "She works her. She's really smart."_

"_Afrun…" Natalya mused. "Ah, whatever. What are we going to do?"_

"_We'll take her back to H.I.V.E." _

_Ashe heard the laughter in her ears again, and she clapped her hands over them. "STOP!"_

"_What?" Nero said, taking her hand(Natalya scowled.) "Is something one wrong?"_

"_Red." Ashe whispered, leaning against him. "It's all red."_


	20. Chapter 20

_Time seemed to zoom past her. Her scars faded, but only a little and what had happened to her mind would not fade. She could still think, and sometimes she was almost normal. But other times the laughter screamed through her mind, and she couldn't think of anything but escaping. She was tried to stay normal, but she could see that Corey, her husband, and even Mark, her son seemed to keep their distance from her even when she was okay. She was 'excused' from the Overlord project. She didn't care. She would never, ever, ever go back there…_

_One day, they were driving back from Corey's sister's house when it happened. Another car slammed into them head on. Ashe sat in the shattered remains, shocked and unable to move. _

"_Hello?"_

_She looked up and saw a man, older than her with dark hair and cold blue eyes. He reached out and put his hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"_

"_Okay…" she echoed. He reminded her of Max a little, the way she could not tear her eyes off of him. _

"_You should get out of there." He forced the door open and grabbed her arms. The man brushed glass fragments from her hair. "Was there anyone else?"_

"_Corey… Mark…" she gasped. _

"_Wait here." he said, pulling open the door to the backseat and retrieving her son. He passed him to her. _

"_You look cold…" he said. "You want my jacket?"_

"_Corey!" Ashe pushed him aside and ran to the front seat. "Corey!"_

_Deep down she knew something was wrong, he would have answered her by now- could he have been knocked out?_

_He wasn't knocked out, he was dead, that was obvious from the angle of his neck. How? Why?! She sank to her knees, tears spilling from her eyes and down her front. _

"_Sorry." The man said, crouching next to her. "Are you hurt?"_

_She shook her head. _

"_What's….?" He looked at her hands, where the scars still showed. "Never mind. My name's Pietor Furan… do you want to come with me?"_

_It was cold, and he draped his coat around her. Her nose tingled. _

"_Do you want to come with me?" he asked again, pulling her to her feet._

_She nodded. _

"Why?"

She stared into the mirror, holding her hand up to it. The lightning bolt scars made her angry- why her? Why not someone who had done something wrong…?

They all deserved to be punished.


	21. Chapter 21

Nero entered the room. Katarina, Angelique, Alia and Tobias were all crowded around Laura with the dark haired boy who had nearly killed her. He grabbed his arm. "Come with me."

He folded his arms. "Why should I?"

"Because you killed her and I don't know who you are or how you got here." Nero said. "I have no choice but to assume you are an enemy."

"What, you're going to lock me up?" he said. Nero clenched his teeth. This boy annoyed him… and he seemed familiar.

"You'll be executed if you keep that up." Nero hissed.

"Fine." The boy said. "I could escape easy."

"Don't hurt him." Katarina said. "He doesn't deserve it! Besides, he's your son."

"Stop lying." Nero snarled.

The boy looked at him, then laughed. "What, you made yourself forget like you made her forget? What, did you think that would make it hurt less that she's dead? Well guess what- you're surrounded by memories of her. It won't be long before something triggers recall."

Nero didn't know what the boy was talking about, but he was annoying him. "Fine. You die, then."

"Yeah, you want try to kill me?" He smirked. "You see where that gets you!"

"What, you think your invulnerable or something?" Nero hissed.

"I'm pretty difficult to kill." He said.

"Stop it, don't kill him!" Katarina yelled, standing up.

"Miss London, _sit down_, this does not concern you." Nero growled.

"Yes it does!" Katarina yelled, taking a step towards Nero.

"Be _quiet_." Nero hissed.

"Kat." Alex said gently. "Kat, get back."

"I don't want-"

"Don't worry." Alex said, pushing her back towards Laura. He walked over to Nero. "Okay, I surrender."

"Alex!" Katarina called.

"I'll be fine." Alex said, but inside, he was nervous.


	22. Chapter 22

"So… are we going back to that lake again?" Otto asked.

"I guess so." Raven said. "It seems like a good place to look for Furan."

"You mean clues." Natalie said. "nyway, you're not coming. You need to stay here."

"What?" Raven said. "What was the point of bringing me here if you're just going to ditch me?"

"You're hurt."

"Bring some of that medicine stuff. " Raven said. "I'll take that and be fine."

"She's right." Otto said. "We kind of need to bring her along."

"Oh, fine." Natalie muttered.

"What was that about?!" Raven spluttered. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

"I…" Natalie wasn't sure why she was acting like this. It was like some switch in her brain had been turned on to 'Grouchy' and refused to switch off. "Just… I'm gonna… bathroom." She mumbled before rushing out of the room.

"Thanks for making sense!" Raven called. "It would be really irritating if you hadn't explained yourself properly!"

###

Alex sat on the hard bench in his cell in the brig, wondering how on Earth he was going to get out of this mess, and how he had got into it in the first place.

"Psst!"

He looked up and saw Hallie's face peeking out of a grate in the ceiling.

"How did you get up there?" he said in amazement.

"It's amazing what duct tape can do." Hallie said. "Speaking of which, do you know how to get it out of people's hair? Ivan had… well, he's nuts."

"I know." Alex said. Then "_Duct tape?"_

"Yeah, well." Hallie shrugged. "We're not exactly a normal family, you know…"

**I'm not sure if Laura should survive or not, what do you think?**


	23. Chapter 23

Raven, Natalie, Otto and Sofia arrived at Avalon lake in a few hours. The house was in even more of a state of disrepair then when Otto had been there years before. There was a hole in the roof, and it smelled all dark and damp.

"Spread out and look for anything that has to do with mind control." Sofia said, walking down a narrow hallway. She entered a small bedroom and looked around. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary… but she noticed that there were a bunch of empty picture frames. She took a step forward, and slid backward, landing spectacularly on her butt.

"Ow!" Sofia cursed, then looked around to see what she had slipped on. It was a page covered in nearly illegible scrawl. She scanned it, trying to make out what it said. She was able to make out three words- golddleaf, Nero and obliterate.

"Hey!" she called. "I found-"

The knife whistled through the air behind her and stuck firmly in her back. She sat down hard. "OTTO!" she yelled. "Help…"

The woman waited for her to drop to the ground, then took the knife from Sofia and put it back in her belt. Then she grabbed Sofia's neck and twisted, pushing her on to the floor. _There._ She went over to the wall and climbed through the window, tucking the paper she'd picked up off the floor into her pocket.

###

"Sofia?!" Raven called. She ran into the room and saw her lying on the floor. She sank to her knees and examined her. _She must have fallen. _she decided.

"What the-" Otto said from the doorway.

"I think she fell." Raven said, standing up. "This place is dangerous."

"I know." Otto said. "There's a knife in the middle of the floor… but it's the only place we have to look for clues."

"I wish we could just ask Ashe." Raven muttered. "This place is creeping me out… and it doesn't help that there are pictures of _him_ all over the place." She frowned. "They had three kids… twin girls and Timothy, right?"

"Yes." Otto said.

"There's plenty of pictures of Aydette. And Timothy. And Mark." Raven shrugged. "But there's not a single one of Shrader."


	24. Chapter 24

Laura opened her eyes and saw Alia, Tobias and Angelique staring nervously at her. She smiled and gingerly sat up.

"Mum!" Angelique yelled. "You're all right!"

"Yes I am," Laura said. "But don't jump on me, sweet."

"Alia told me not too." Angelique said, nodding.

"That was smart of her." Laura smiled at Alia. "Have the three of you eaten in the last few hours? I don't want this to distract you from-"

"They're fine, I've taken care of them." Katarina said.

"Oh, I hope that wasn't too much trouble." Laura said. "You should be resting."

"I'm pregnant, not injured." Katarina grumbled. "I am totally fine."

"I know… where's Otto?" Laura said.

"Otto? He's dead." Katarina reminded her.

"Oh… oh right." Laura rubbed her head.

"We'll go now." Katarina said, gathering up Laura's children. "Bye."

###

"That is odd." Otto muttered.

Raven picked something off of the table. It was that back of a photograph that had been ripped in half. Written on it was '-she Afrun and Corey Meroski, June 19-"

"Afrun?" Raven said. "That was her maiden name, right?"

"If you say so…" Otto said, opening up a drawer..

"Afrun." Raven rubbed her head. "I've heard that before… it has something to do with Furan…"

"Well duh, they were married, weren't they-" Otto started but Raven cut him off.

"HOLY &*%(!" Raven yelled.

"What? Is something wrong?!" Otto said.

"_Why _didn't I see this before?!" Raven yelled. "How could I miss-"

"See _what_?" Otto said, annoyed.

"Afrun!" Raven yelled, shaking him by the shoulders. "Mix up the letters and it spells FURAN!"

Then the world exploded.


	25. Chapter 25

Raven was lying on her back in the darkness. The pain was back. She fumbled in her jacket pocket for the medicine and hastily gulped down two pills.

"You're injured." Said a voice. A light came on and Ashe Meroski appeared.

"You're alive." Raven said calmly.

"It appears so." Ashe said. "You are as well."

"And you're a Furan." Raven added.

"Yes." Ashe said. "I am Anastasia and Pietor's elder sister."

"Then… how are you married to him?" Raven said in confusion. "Wait a moment… are you really? We never actually got proof of that, did we… and you could easily have pretended that Shrader and Aydette and Timothy were your children." She rubbed her forehead. "And come to think of it… the first thing Furan did when he came to the future was jump on me…"

"It was all an illusion." Ashe said.

"But what was the point of two people with no contact with the outside world pretending to be in love?" Raven said.

Ashe just smiled, and the lights went out again, leaving Raven alone.

###

Natalie opened her eyes but it didn't seem to make a difference. She sat up, slowly rubbing her head.

"Mum? Otto?"

"Here." Someone squeezed her shoulder. "I'm behind you."

Natalie's eyes slowly began to adjust, and she saw Otto's outline.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"My arm…" She realized how much it hurt. She looked down at it and saw that her hand… her hand was gone.

Natalie started to sob, panic and fear wearing her down. Otto put his arm around her. "It must have been the explosion- I'm so sorry."

"No, it's fine." She reverted to her usual calm self. "I'm right handed… so it's okay."

"Are you sure?" Otto said.

"Yeah." She pulled off her jacket and wrapped around her arm, wiping away the blood. "I'll be fine… where's Raven?"

"I don't know." Otto said. "But I hope they don't keep us here for too long… if she runs out of the medicine, she'll die."


	26. Chapter 26

"I know." Natalie said, sitting down. "I- Otto? Otto?"

"I'm fine." Otto sat up straighter. "Just tired…"

He touched the wound on his back but did not say anything. She didn't need anyone depending on her right now, not while she was like this.

"Are there any beds?" Natalie asked. "Food?"

"Not that I've seen." Otto said. "They'll probably shove it in somehow."

Natalie bit her lip. "I hate this." she muttered.

"What?"

"I hate this. Being trapped."

"You've never told me that." Otto said. He let go of Natalie and started to look around.

"It's never been this bad." Natalie's face was calm but her eyes flickered with fear. "I think it's the dark."

"It's only shadows, it can't hurt you." Otto said, rubbing her arm.

"Yeah." Natalie said. "But when you leave someone in the dark… when you keep them there against their will… it never really goes away."

"What the heck does is supposed to mean?" Otto said. He could barely see her now.

"Raven told me that once." Natalie shrugged. "I never really got it… but it makes sense now."

"But you'll be fine, right?" Otto said.

She didn't say anything for a long moment, then said "What were you and Raven talking about, back at the house? When I left. You all looked so serious when I came back…"

"Just looking for answers. That's a serious business."

"Don't lie to me. I want to know."

"Fine." Otto grunted. "Raven thinks you're pregnant."

"Yeah." Natalia said. "That would make sense." She swore under her breath. Otto started back towards her.

"If this is a cell, it's a big one." He said. "We can explore later though. I don't want to lose you in the dark."

"Should we try and get some sleep?" Natalie asked.

"You go ahead, I-" Otto gasped and fell forward, landing hard on his side in front of her.


	27. Chapter 27

Hallie peeked her head around the door. The guard looked up. "Miss Nero, what have I told you about playing here?"

"Oh, I'm not playing." Hallie said. "My father has apparently lost all memory of me and my siblings, and decided to lock us up in here, and we escaped using duct tape."

The guard laughed. "That's very funny, little girl."

_I hate my life._ Hallie smiled innocently, and she, Siri, Viktor, Ivan, Max and Alex walked past him and out the door.

"That was-" Siri began.

"NO DON'T SAY IT!" Hallie yelled.

They heard yelling and running footsteps. _Guards._ Hallie thought. Alex swore.

"-really… easy." Siri finished awkwardly.

"RUN LIKE H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS!" Hallie bellowed, taking off.

###

When Raven woke up again, she was lying on what looked like a hospital bed. There was some kind of scanning machine above her. Her body ached.

"I am sorry to destroy you." Ashe's voice came from somewhere. "But I need something from you."

"What?" Raven gasped. Her eyelids felt heavy and she struggled to stay awake.

"Your father and mother were brilliant." she said. "Before Nero killed them, that is."

"What are you talking about? Nero didn't kill my-"

"Yes he did." Ashe said. "He wiped it from your memory, but clumsily. I could bring it back to you, but seeing as you're going to die-"

"You still haven't told me… why you're going to kill me." Raven said quietly.

"I'm not _trying_ to kill you." Ashe said. "But there is something inside you I need and since it has been in you for so long it will kill you to have it removed."

"What is it…?" Raven's eyes closed but she quickly opened them again.

"It is a serum your father created." Ashe said. "It makes your muscles stronger… your reactions faster… basically it makes you able to fight better."

"What?" Raven said.

"Goodbye." Ashe said, and Raven's eyes closed again as she began to scream.


	28. Chapter 28

"Wait." Alex said. He grabbed Hallie's arm. "You five escape, okay? I have to do something."

"What?" Hallie asked.

"Just go." Alex growled. He turned and raced off in the direction of the hospital wing.

Laura looked up when he slid in next to her. "What… are you doing here?"

"It's cold." Alex said. He kissed her forehead. "And you're warm. I think you have a fever."

"I know." Laura leaned her head on his shoulder. "Don't really care though… are you okay? Nero said you were going to be executed."

"He was joking." Alex said lightly. "I'm going to stay here, okay?"

"Okay." Laura buried her head in Alex's shoulder. "I think... I think I might love you, Alex."  
"As much as Otto?" Alex asked.  
"No." Laura whispered. "I can never love anyone as much as I love Otto. But if you want... if you want..."  
"What?" Alex asked.  
"To have a child." Laura gasped.  
"But I thought Otto-"  
"He tried." Laura said. "It didn't work."  
"I don't really like kids..." Alex mumbled.  
"That's fine." Laura said.  
"Is it?" Alex asked. "Could you look after it all by yourself?"  
Laura gave Alex a 'Really?' look.  
"I've raised Alia and Tobias and G- Angelique almost completely by myself their whole life." Laura said a bit sharply. "I'm pretty sure I can do it, Alex."  
"But do you really want someone like me?" Alex said quietly.  
"Yes." Laura said. "I love you."  
"Then..." Alex slid his arm around her. "If that's really what you want..."

###

"Otto?"  
He opened his eyes and looked around. Natalie was holding him. He was wrapped in a blanket, his shirt on the floor next to him. Natalie sighed.  
"Oh, thank god your awake." She picked up a bowl off the floor. "Here, it's got some kind of meat in it."  
Otto sipped the soup. He felt weak and feverish. "What happened?"  
"You passed out." Natalie whiped her eyes. "You scared me."  
"I'm okay now." Otto sat up. "Really, I-"  
"No, you're not playing that game with me." Natalie took a cloth off Otto's forehead, dipped it in a bowl of water by her side, and lay it back down on his forehead. "You're really sick, I think. You were moaning something awful before."  
Otto flushed. He had been moaning?  
"You rest, okay?" Natalie rubbed his shoulder.  
Otto tried to stay awake, but Natalie closed his eyes and he was too exhausted to open them.


	29. Chapter 29

_She woke up. It felt like someone had shoved their icy fingers down her neck (Sirius had done that once, and she'd chased him around the house for ten minutes afterward). She stood up and went into the living room, where her parents were talking. _

"_Momma, I can't sleep." She hugged her mother's knee tightly. Aliya picked Natalya up. _

"_Sweetheart, nothing's wrong-" Aliya started. _

_BANG!_

_Natalya turned around to see the front door fall to the ground. Armed men began pouring inside, led by one not more than a boy with dark hair and brown eyes. Aliya dropped her to the ground and drew something from inside her shirt- a knife? Her mom had a knife? What was going on?_

_Her father pushed her away. "Get Sirius and Thea and hide." He hissed. "In the secret place. You know where. Don't come out- no matter what you hear."_

"_What do you mean- Daddy, what's happening-" _

_He picked her up and threw her gently down the hall. She started to run. She woke up her siblings and they ran into the secret compartment in their parent's room. _

_It was dark and the darkness seemed like it was going to swallow her up. She hated it, especially when she was trapped. Sirius stepped hard on her foot and she nearly screamed. _

"_I'm gonna go and help." He said._

"_But-"_

"_Stay put!" Sirius yelled. _

_She waited in the darkness for what felt like forever, and could finally stand it no longer. She burst out of the room, dragging Thea behind her and ran for the back door. _

_She was almost there when someone grabbed her arm. It was the leader. Their eyes met for a moment. She narrowed hers. Then he yanked out a gun and fired at Thea. _

"_NO!" She dove at him, ready to tear him apart, but he tossed her aside like a doll. Her head hit the cold cement floor hard, and she blacked out._

Raven opened her eyes.

"Max killed my parents." She said aloud.

"Max killed my parents!" she said again, louder this time.

"MAX KILLED MY PARENTS!" she yelled.

Then she burst into tears.


	30. Chapter 30

**Epilogue**

_The new cell was still cold, but there was light, at least, and a pile of blankets to sleep on. _And that doesn't seem to matter now_, Natalie thought, _now that I have my son to hold.

_Otto smiled at her. "You okay?"_

"_Yep." Natalie said. "I'm better than okay, actually." _

"_Good." He winced as he felt it. Otto rubbed his temples. "Natalie… I have to warn you."_

"_Warn me?" Natalie asked. "About what?"_

"_Overlord… he's destroyed." Otto said. "But… he can still sometimes make me… like people."_

"_You mean like Annicka?" Natalie didn't seem to be startled. _

"_You knew?"_

"_I've known ever since Laura had the twins." Natalie said. "The two of you didn't seem the type of people to have that sort of… accident."_

"_Then… you know that if I'm locked up in here with you for too long- I might not be able to control it."_

"_Don't worry." Natalie said cheerfully. "I promise I will knock you out violently if you try anything."_

_That hadn't exactly been what he was looking for… but whatever. "As long as you understand." Otto tried to think of something to change the subject to. This kind of talk was awkward. "What's his name?"_

"_His… name?" Natalie said, not understanding. _

"_Your son. Does he have a name?"_

"_Oh." Natalie smiled. "Of course he does."_

"_Let's hear it, then." Otto said. _

"_Raven." Natalie said. _

"_Oh." Otto rolled his eyes. "Should have known…"_

_###_

_Nero was at his desk, grading papers when someone entered the room._

"_Ashe?" he spluttered. "You- you're alive?!"_

"_Yes." She smiled, then got serious. "We need to talk, Max. It's important."_

"_Okay." Nero stood up, and took her hand. "Do you want to go back to my quarters?"_

"_Yes." Ashe said. "Do you have anything to eat?"_

"_I'm sure I can find something." Nero said. He held up her hand and kissed it. "Anything for you."_

**Okay. I am not sure if Alex should be caught and executed or somehow survive because he's Raven's son. What do you think?**


	31. Part Two: Chapter One

**May 1****st****, 2023.**

Raven sat with her legs pulled up to her chest. She'd been trapped in Ashe's base for almost a year now, slowly getting her strength back. The moment the whatever-it-was had been removed from her system, she had begun to feel better. Physically, anyway. She still felt like she might be sick when she thought of what Nero had done. And the fact that he had hidden it from her…

He could not have known that he was sentencing her to a life of pain and misery and death, but he should have known that she would be forced to take to the streets after surviving the attack. And there could not have been a future for her there-

"Hello."

She looked up and saw Ashe, smiling cruelly down at her.

"Hello." Raven said calmly.

"I caught a traitor today." Ashe said quietly. "He was executed. It was my son, Mark."

"Mark?" Raven feigned polite interest but inside her head was reeling. Her daughter's boyfriend was dead? Possibly leaving Natalie with a baby?! This was not fair. "I don't know him."

"Yes, you do." Ashe said coldly. "He and Natalia Nero are together… were together… whatever." She smiled with a cold joy. "Speaking of the Neros…"

"Oh, great." Raven said. "What now?"

"Nero and I…" Ashe paused, pressing a finger to her lips. "No, I shouldn't tell you. Better to let you wonder."

Raven closed her eyes. "You two are lovers now, aren't you."

Ashe said nothing.

"I figured as much." Her voice was full of pain. "He thinks I am dead and because of the mess with your brother, he would have no reason to honor my memory." She laughed bitterly. "Ah, well. That's his choice…"

"What, so you don't love him anymore?" Ashe asked.

"I never said that." Raven growled.

"So you do." Ashe smiled. "And it would cause you significant pain if we were to be married?"

Raven said nothing.

"Fine, then." Ashe turned to go. "Thank you for your cooperation."


	32. Part Two: Chapter Two

Laura rolled over and yawned, sitting up. It felt like something icy was pressed to her neck, and it was hard to breathe or think. She rubbed her head, then lay back down next to Alex, who muttered something about raspberries and continued sleeping.

She, Alex, Hallie, Siri, Angelique, Tobias, Alia and the triplets h ad left H.I.V.E. for Alex's safety. They'd gone to Shelby and Wing's house, where they'd been living for a little under a year. And a month ago, she'd given birth to James, Alex's son. They were happy and safe… at least for the moment.

Laura sighed as she tried to remember her dream. Natalie had been there… twisting on the ground like she was in pain. And Nero and Raven… Nero and Raven were dead or something- and Alia! Alia was in danger-

CRASH!

"NO!" Alex yelled, sitting up. "Cheese is for wearing, not eating, Hope!"

"What?" Laura stood up. She felt better now. "Hey! What's going on in there?"

Siri and two of the triplets (only Alex, Natalie and Raven could tell them apart.) opened the door. "We aren't doing nothing!" the triplet on the left said.

"That was a double negative." Laura said. She grabbed her bathrobe off the chair to Alex's desk and put it on. "Which implies that you _are_ doing something… now show me."

"You need help?" Alex mumbled into his pillow.

"Nah, I got it." Laura followed the triplets out into the backyard. She screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"We aren't doing nothing." The triplet on the right repeated.

"I think that trick doesn't work anymore." Siri hissed. "We are…" She shrugged. "Well, we're searching for buried treasure."

"AND WHY IS JAMES AND WREN(that was Shelby's daughter, who was seven months old) IN THE TREE!?"

"Because they're parrots." Left Triplet said.

"What?" Laura said.

"They're being lookouts." Siri shrugged. "Anyway, we put the pool underneath them so they wouldn't get hurt."

"How will that stop them from getting hurt?!" Laura spluttered, striding forward to reclaim the babies.

"Well, it'll keep them from falling in the-"

Laura screamed as pain shot up her ankle.

"-holes." Siri ran over to her. "Are you alright?!"

"No." Laura hissed. "Go get Alex." She closed her eyes. "And next time you cause trouble... LEAVE ME AND JAMES OUT OF IT!"


	33. Part Two: Chapter Three

Alex helped Laura into the bed. "Are you okay?"

"I think my ankle is twisted." Laura gasped. "I'm okay. But… I'm worried about James."

"James?" Alex glanced down at his son. "He looks fine."

"He's burning up." Laura said nervously. "And he's much quieter than normal… usually he screams like his skin is on fire when you hold him-"

"I know." Alex muttered, annoyed.

"But he's totally quiet now." Laura pointed out. "Do you know if there's a thermometer around? I want to check. I'm probably just being paranoid." She sighed and leaned against the chair. Alex passed James to her and went into the bathroom.

"Whatcha doing?"

He looked up and saw Hallie. "How'd you- never mind. I'm getting a thermometer for James."

"What, is he sick or something?"

"I don't know." Alex said irately. "That's why I'm getting the thermometer."

"He's sick alright." Hallie said. "Like Siri was a few years ago."

Alex winced. Siri had nearly died then. He was scared, though he'd never admit it to anyone, let alone his baby sister. "We'll see." He said.

###

Hallie watched Laura and Alex drive away from the upstairs window. They were taking James to the hospital.

"What is it?" Siri asked, stepping towards her. "You okay?"

"_You're a big girl now." Her mother grabbed her hands. "You have to look after your brothers and sisters. Especially Siri. She doesn't know it, but she has potential to do things… horrible, terrible things."_

"Yes, I'm fine." Hallie walked away from the window. "Let's go find the triplets, okay?"

"Okay." Siri clung tightly to her hand as they descended to the main floor. Shelby was waiting for them. "Juice, anyone?" she asked.

"Yes, please." Hallie smiled sweetly at her.

"Just a second." Siri said, then dashed off. Probably gone to get her book (Siri liked to read while she ate, for whatever reason. Actually, she liked to read when she did _anything._) Hallie sat down at the kitchen table and waited.

She stood up, shoving her chair back into the wall with a BANG as she heard a scream and a woman laughing.


	34. Part Two: Chapter Four

Natalie groaned as she lay back down on the pile of blankets.

"What's the matter?" Otto asked. "Sick again?"

"Yes." Natalie muttered. "I'm afraid it's-"

"No, it can't be." Otto snapped.

"Okay, geez, don't get angry with me!" Natalie's eyes shined with tears.

"Sorry." Otto said. "I just really, really don't want this to happen."

"I tried to stop you!" Natalie hissed. "But you knocked me out, remember?"

"Vividly." Natalie muttered. "If I am pregnant, what do we do?"

"I don't know." Otto said. "Keep doing what we're doing now, I suppose…"

"We don't have to tell Laura anything." Natalie said.

"Thanks." Otto said.

"Do you know… about her and Alex?" Natalie said carefully, picking up Raven.

"Yes." Otto said. "And I suppose I can't expect her to stay single years after I've left her."

"Is it just because of the you/Overlord thing that you two can't stay together?"

"At first, that's what I thought." Otto said. "But I think that there might be something special about her too…"

"What?"

"If I knew, I would tell you." Otto lay down beside her. "I'm tired."

"Ditto." Natalie said. "I wonder if we'll ever get out of here…"

"I'm sure someone will find us." Otto said optimistically.

"I don't know." Natalie said. "It feels like forever that we've been here… and Raven couldn't have survived this long. She would have run out of medicine."

"They could have cured her." Otto said.

"Why would they?" Natalie said. "They're obviously enemies."

"They could have needed her for some reason." Otto said.

"Great." Natalie muttered, rolling her eyes. "Another sibling for me to deal with."

"It doesn't necessarily mean-" Otto started, but Natalie cut him off.

"If you look at her track record, yeah, it does." She sighed. "I just really want to get out of here…"

"Yeah, well." Otto said. "It could be worse…"

"How?" Natalie asked.

"The light bulb could go out." Otto suggested. "Then we'd be in the dark."

Natalie rolled her eyes.

**I don't know if Natalie should be pregnant again or not. What do you think?**


	35. Part Two: Chapter Five

Alex sat next to Laura, rubbing her shoulders. "It's okay, Laura." He said. "We can have another."

Laura wrenched away from him. "It won't be the same- you don't get it!" She yelled. "You… you can't just replace a person!"

"I told you I'm not good with kids, Laura." Alex said. He didn't look angry, just sad- and beaten.

"I know." Laura said. "Sorry I exploded like that."

"I understand." Alex said. He sighed. "He could survive. There's a ten percent chance-"

"Ten percent." Laura hissed.

"That was the chance you had of surviving the injury I gave you." Alex said. "So it's possible…"

"Yeah." said Laura sadly. "I've used up my one miracle."

###

Raven stood up, suddenly angry. She kicked at the glass. Who did she think she was, Ashe Stupid Furan, taking her Nero, keeping her locked up here when there was revenge that needed to be taken-

She kicked again, and this time the glass shattered.

She gasped. That had never happened before. She realized… she felt different. Stronger.

She burst through the glass and began to run, alarms blaring all around them. She smiled. _Let them come_.

And they did, but she was ready and she killed them. She didn't even care anymore about getting out, she just wanted to kill. It felt strangely good, and when she was done she walked out into the sunlight, smiling.

_This is what I was born to do._

"Too right." Said a voice behind her.

###

"What?" Otto said. "I'm just saying… because then we would be in the dark…" He sighed. "Whatever."

"So how do you think Laura is special?" Natalie said. "I mean… she's good with computers."

"She makes me happy…" Otto muttered.

"That's cuz your in love with her." Natalie rolled her eyes. She clapped her hand over her mouth. "Darn it… I think I'm going to be sick again."

"Well, then go!" Otto pulled her up and snatched Raven from her. Frowning, Natalie raced off.

Otto remembered something then- technically, Natalie was his half-sister.

"That's not good…" he muttered.


	36. Part Two: Chapter Six

Raven whipped around and saw her father standing behind her. "You!"

"Yes, me." Viktor Serov stepped forward and put his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"You're dead!" Raven spluttered.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear." Viktor said coolly.

"What do you want with me?" Raven said, crossing her arms. She realized she was being kind of rude, but she didn't care too much. She'd decided long ago that she didn't care what others thought of her._ Except Max. Then again, we've already touched on the fact that he can turn me into a blithering idiot, blah blah whatever. _

"I was going to take you away from here." Viktor said in an equally icy tone. "But if you would prefer to stay…"

"No!" Raven said quickly.

"Then come with me." Viktor said, holding out his hand. Raven took it.

###

Hallie saw a woman, with burn marks on her face and arms and long dark hair twisting Siri's arm. "Let go of her!" she yelled, narrowing her eyes.

"Or what?" The woman smirked. She had a Russian accent, like Hallie's mother. But her eyes made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.

"Or this." Hallie yanked a knife from her back pocket. "And I know how to use it! Raven trained me!"

The woman snorted. "I'm not afraid of Raven."

"You should be!" Alia flew out of nowhere and landed on the woman's shoulder. "Let-her-go!"

Hallie darted forward bit the woman in the wrist. She let go of Siri in surprise, and Hallie's sister stumbled away from her.

"Get outa here." Hallie growled at the woman, stepping between her and her younger sister.

The woman smiled. Then she pulled a pistol from her pocket and shot Hallie in the chest.

###

As she was climbing into Viktor's helicopter, Raven froze suddenly.

"What's wrong with you?!" her father called. "Hurry up, girl!"

Raven climbed into the cockpit and sat down, breathing hard like she'd just run a marathon.

"Take me back to H.I.V.E." she ordered.

_I'm going to kill Max. _


	37. Part Two: Chapter Seven

Hallie dodged the bullet and flew at the woman. "Don't touch my sister!"

The woman threw Alia off. She landed hard, gasping. Hallie paused to glance at her and the woman grabbed her wrist. "You'll do just as well, I suppose."

"Let me go!" Hallie yelled a couple of words she'd heard her mother say. "LEGGOLEGGOLEGGOLEGGO!"

The swearing and the yelling caught Shelby's attention, and she ran in followed by the triplets. "What in the name of- Anastasia?!"

The woman smirked at her. "The very same." She started to run towards the door, but Alia darted in front of her.

"Put her down!" Alia frowned. "_Please._"

"Politeness won't stop me." Anastasia shot at Alia, who tried to dodge like Hallie had done. But she wasn't fast enough, and she cried out as the bullet went into her shoulder.

"ALIA!" Hallie yelled. She gritted her teeth and started to kick and squirm as well as she could. Shelby dove at Anastasia, hitting her in the jaw. Anastasia stumbled backwards and Shelby grabbed Hallie and pulled. Hallie came free from Anastasia's arms and sprang at Shelby, squealing "YAY!"

Shelby fell backwards. Her head hit the ground with a CRACK. She groaned as blood began seeping into her blond hair. Hallie gasped. "Oh _*&^*."_ She hissed, breathing hard.

Anastasia began to advance on her again.

"Hal! Catch!"

Hallie held out her hand and a… roll of duct tape with a long strip hanging from it fell into it. Ivan, still behind Anastasia held the other end. Hallie tossed it to him, who tossed it back to her so that by the time Anastasia finally reached her, her expensive blouse was stuck to several strips of the stuff.

"Hallie!"

She looked up and saw Max hanging from the chandelier. She tossed it up to him and he lowered himself until he was eye level with Anastasia. Then he started to spin it until Anastasia's face was covered in duct tape.

"Okay." Hallie frowned. "You ought to come down from there before-"

There was a huge crash, and Max flung himself from the chandelier just as it crashed into the ground.

"-that happens." Hallie shrugged. "Good job, you two."

"Duct tape." Viktor said happily. "You never know when it'll come in handy."


	38. Part Two: Chapter Eight

Nero yawned and blinked awake. Ashe was at the computer, her face looking pale and drawn.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, walking over to her. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You look like you might be sick."

"She …" She scrolled down to a picture of a woman with short dark hair, blue eyes, and a scar across one cheek. "She attacked our base. And killed my son."

"Why?" Nero said.

"I don't know!" Ashe started to cry. "She's evil!"

Nero titled her head so she had to look at him. "You want me to get her?"

"You mean… kill her?" Ashe pressed her hand to her mouth. "That's a bit…"

"If she hurt you I won't forgive her." Nero said fiercely.

"Oh… it's not-" Ashe cried out and grabbed her head. Nero pulled her close.

"You alright?" he said.

"Headache." Ashe grunted. "Be fine in a moment…" She stood up and stumbled back to bed. She flopped down on it with a sigh. Nero sat next to her. He took her hand.

"She doesn't stand a chance, Ashe."

###

Laura buried her head in the pillow. Alex stretched out his hand to touch her shoulder, and then pulled it back. She was beyond his help.

Shelby came in, her head bandaged. "You two okay?" she said gently.

"Where's Anastasia?" Alex hissed. "I wanna go hit her a couple of times."

"That won't do anything." Shelby said. "But she's in the basement… don't get killed."

"I'm not the one who's going to die." Alex grunted. He stood up and left.

Shelby sat down next to Laura. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"He was just a baby." Laura mumbled. She stood up. Her hair was sticking up on one side and she looked like a mess. "First Guinevere, now James… what's wrong with me? Why can't I protect my own children?!"

"We have a crazy, dangerous, awful life." Shelby said. "It's not your fault."

"It feels like it!" Laura leaned her head on Shelby's shoulder. "I hate this. I hate my life."

"It's okay." Shelby said.

"I'm gonna go hit Anastasia too." Laura said, standing up.

"Anastasia didn't kill James." Shelby said.

"I know that!" Laura snapped. She took a deep breath. "But it'll make me feel better…"


	39. Part Two: Chapter Nine

Alex stood at the doorway to the basement. Anastasia looked up at him. "Is something wrong?" she asked coolly.

"My son's dead." Alex hissed. He sat down and pulled the door shut behind him.

"Well, that's random." Anastasia said. "Lots of people die."

"Not little kids." Alex muttered. He stared down at his feet.

"My daughter died too." Anastasia said. "Only she was eighteen." She shrugged. "It was sort of my fault, to be honest. She jumped a window after Otto Malpense."

"Why?" Alex said. "That's stupid."

"Because I think she was in love." Anastasia frowned. "I've never been in love. I don't think I would like it very much."

"But you said you had a daughter-"

"I said I'd never been in love." Anastasia said. "I never said no one ever fell in love with _me._" She yawned, looking bored. "A lot of people are going to die soon."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, leaning closer.

"My sister, Ashe… she made this sort of virus thing." Anastasia said. "After it's activated, it kills in less than twelve house. She infected the students at H.I.V.E. and half the people in G.L.O.V.E and she plans to activate it soon."

"What?" Alex said. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm bored." Anastasia said, shrugging. "With Ashe. I don't like people ordering me around."

"How much time do we have?" Alex jumped to his feet.

"I dunno." Anastasia yawned again. "Not much. I think she already activated it for the people who were in the hospital."

"Laura was in the hospital… and James was in her… so did James get sick from Ashe's virus?!" Alex spluttered.

"I believe so." Anastasia said.

"Wait- that means that Laura is in danger!" Alex yelled.

"Congratulations." Anastasia smirked. "You may actually have a brain- hey, where are you going?!"


	40. Part Two: Chapter Ten

Alex was too late. He knew this as soon as he saw Laura face down in the corridor.

"Laura!" He turned her over and kissed her forehead. Sure enough, it was the same temperature James' has been.

"Alex…" She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm so tired."

"Don't give in." he said. "I know you're stronger than this."

"Is something wrong with her?" Wing said, from behind him.

"Yes." Alex said. "She's very sick- she's sick like James… was."

"We should bring her to the hospital." Wing said.

"No point." Alex said. "They couldn't do anything to help James, why would they be able to save her?"

"That sounds like you expect her to die." Wing said.

"I do." Alex said. "But it's okay. I'll go with her if I have to."

###

Raven and Viktor landed in the hangar using her old access codes, which she supposed no one had ever thought to revoke. Raven forced her way out and into the corridors. She began running. _Max. He's going to pay-_

BANG!

She slammed into Katarina so hard she fell back and hit her head on the floor. Dizzy, she sat up.

Katarina was holding a baby boy. She looked amazed. "Raven? But you're dead!"

"Obviously not." Raven grunted. "Where's Nero?"

"I don't know… he's here somewhere." Katarina frowned. "But the thing is… he's forgotten you completely!"

"What?!" Raven laughed. "Don't make things up… anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm going to kill him."

"Who are you going to kill?"

She'd known what had gone on in her absence but it was still a shock to see Nero with his hand in Ashe's.

"Are you the one who attacked her?" Nero said coolly. He glared at her.

"She's evil." Raven hissed. Now that they were face to face, her anger was fading. What had she been thinking?

"No." Nero said. He frowned. His eyes were so cold. "You are."


	41. Part Two: Chapter Eleven

"No, I'm not." Raven growled. "She's just making you think that way…" She glared at Ashe.

"Who are you?" Nero stepped protectively in front of Ashe.

"Natalya Nero." Raven said calmly. "Raven."

"I don't know you." Nero said, frowning like he was trying to remember something… or someone.

"Yes you do." Raven walked up to him, and before he could react she threw her arms around him and kissed him fiercely.

BANG!

Raven gasped in pain and stepped back. She clapped her hand over the gunshot wound in her abdomen. Then she shook her head and smiled at Nero. "You really aren't yourself, are you, Max?"

He pointed the gun at her, this time at her chest.

"Don't shoot!" Raven cried out. She started at him, trying to force him to remember with her eyes. But it didn't seem to be working…

###

Nero stared at the woman he'd just shot. She stared back at him with her eyes. They were big and cold blue, and wide with fear and pain. He slowly pointed the gun at her chest.

"Don't shoot!" she yelled.

"_Don't shoot!" she yelled, covering her hands with her head. She was just a child, fourteen at the most but something about her expression made her seem much older. "I…" She winced like the word pained her. "Please."_

_Nero lowered the gun. "Who are you?" he said. _

_She stood up slowly, rubbing her shoulder. "I'm called Raven." She smiled shyly at him. "But you… can call me Natalya."_

Nero gasped and staggered backwards, clutching his head. Raven smiled, then ran to embrace him, smearing blood all over his suit. "Oh…. You're back…" She whispered.

Nero grinned at her and they kissed. He stopped when he realized that she was about to collapse. "You okay?"

"Yes." Raven said. She looked thoughtful. "You know, ten is a lovely round number."

Nero sighed. "No. We are _done_ having children, Natalya- NATALYA?!"


	42. Part Two: Chapter Twelve

Natalie yawned. She felt suddenly tired. All of the sudden, Otto grabbed her and started kissing her.

"OTTO!" Natalie took a whack at him, but her punch missed and Otto pinned her arms behind her back with one arm. Natalie kicked out, but only got air. She sighed and stopped fighting. What was the point? He was stronger than her… and her body was so, so hot… she felt like she was about to implode.

"Na-Natalie!" Otto spluttered. He gritted his teeth. "Damn. I did it again, didn't I?"

"It's fine." Natalie got up and brushed herself off. "Really… I'm fine-"

She screamed, then slammed into the ground, falling eerily silent.

"Natalie!" Otto kneeled next to her and grabbed her wrist. No pulse. Her heart had stopped. Frantically, he shook her shoulders. "No!"

And then all of the sudden Natalie jerked awake, gasping and coughing.

"Natalie?!" Otto hugged her tightly. "Oh my god- your heart stopped!"

"What do you mean?" Natalie laughed. "Otto, when your heart stops you _die_."

"I know… but…" Otto shrugged. "I must have made a mistake."

"Yep." Natalie stood up. She felt cold and achy now, like she'd just had the flu. But it beat being burning hot. She grabbed Raven and snuggled him close. She sat down on the ground as her bad feeling faded. Otto sat next to her. "When do you think we're ever going to get out of here?" she said plaintively.

"Soon." Otto started running his fingers through her hair. Natalie sighed.

"You need to _stop_." She said.

"What?" Otto said. He shook himself like he was waking up.

"You need to stop kissing me and stuff!" Natalie said sternly. "If you don't figure out how to stop, what if it happens again- in front of Laura?!"

"If it happened then, I'd probably grab Laura." Otto said, rolling his eyes.

"Stop acting so nonchalant!" Natalie snapped. "I'm just trying to make sure you don't get your life screwed up because of this Overlord thing!" She sighed. "Why do you think he wants you to do this?"

"I think he has some delusion that if I go around having kids then they'll take over the world for him, and he'll just step in." Otto rolled his eyes and pulled his hand away. "Stupid, really."

Natalie nodded. She looked away from Otto, her face going red. She didn't want to admit to herself that she didn't really _want_ Otto to stop.


	43. Part Two: Chapter Thirteen

Katarina gasped as Viktor grabbed Raven and held a knife to her throat. "Ashe, get the gun."

"What- what is going on-" Nero spluttered as Ashe wrenched the gun from his hand.

"I'm murdering her." Ashe said calmly.

"What?!" Nero spluttered. "No- don't you DARE touch her!" He started to move towards Ashe but she pointed the gun at him.

"Don't move." Ashe said coolly. "I'm the bad guy- your precious Natalya was right. "And now I'm going to kill both of you and destroy your precious school- and there's nothing that you can do about it."

"Katarina." Nero hissed. "Get help."

Katarina nodded, and slowly pulled out her blackbox from her pocket.

"Now… how should we do this?" Ashe titled her head a little, like she was considering her options. "Hmmmm…"

She turned to an empty office lining the hall they were standing in. "Lock then in there."

"Why?" Raven choked. "Why… dad?"

"You're a failure." Viktor said, regarding her with contempt as he shoved her into the empty room.

"Why, what did I do?" Raven yelled. Ashe grabbed Nero's wrist and forced him in after her, pushing something into his hand.

"You fell in love." Viktor said as he started to shut the door.

"What, like you didn't?!" Raven screamed.

Viktor smiled and locked it.

"What was the point of that?!" Raven yelled. "Let's get out of here… Max?"

Nero stared down at the beeping grenade in his hand, then threw it into the opposite corner of the room. It was pretty small, and it probably wouldn't do anything. Raven pushed him back. "Use me as a shield-"

"No." Nero pulled her around and took her hand. "If we go… we go together."

Raven swallowed hard but nodded.

The beeping started to get faster. Raven leaned in to kiss Nero.

_Maybe I failed but right now I couldn't care less-_


	44. Part Two: Chapter Fourteen

Katarina felt frozen as she heard the huge explosion. _No one could have survived that._ she thought.

Ashe smiled. "Now that that's over…"

"It's not over yet." Viktor said. He stepped through the new hole in the wall. Ashe shrugged, but remained where she was. But Katarina followed him, her heart in her throat.

_There's still a chance- they could still be alive-_

Then she saw the two bodies in the corner, and any trace of hope left her.

Raven whispered something, reaching out a hand towards her. Katarina came closer, ignoring Viktor's objections.

"I'm sorry." Katarina whispered.

"What?" Raven frowned. "You haven't done anything- never mind." She paused, breathing hard. "Look, Natalie replaces Max, and Alex replaces me, you got that?"

"What? Er… yes." Katarina said. "But… are you sure?"

"Yes." Raven smiled. "Very sure… very…"

The light faded from her eyes. Katarina backed away, slowly at first, then starting to sprint away.

"STOP HER!" Viktor yelled, running for her, but Katarina was faster. She burst around the corner and nearly smacked into the approaching security team.

"What's wrong?" The man in charge asked.

"Capture Ashe and Viktor." Katarina gasped. "And Nero and Raven… there's been an accident. They're dead."

"Are you sure?" the man said.

"Yes." Katarina bit her lip. "Very sure…"

###

Alex sat next to Laura on the couch in the living room, squeezing her shoulders. Her breathing was labored and her face was flushed and sweaty.

"Is she okay?" Siri said. She and the triplets were building a castle out of duct tape.

"I think so." Alex lied.

"Good."Siri said. She smiled nervously. "So then now is a good time to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Alex said, sighed.

"Angelique crammed fifteen cookies into the DVD player." Siri said.

"WHAT?!" Alex spluttered.

"And then I tried to take then out…" She picked up her castle, revealing the battered remains of the DVD player. "So I was wondering if I could maybe borrow your blackbox."

"Fine." Alex grunted, handing it over.

Siri smiled. For a second, her eyes seemed to glint evilly, but it must have just been the light.


	45. Part Two: Chapter Fifteen

**Yes, Nero and Raven are dead. **

Natalie aimed a kick at the wall. It connected, sending a jarring pain through her ankle. She kicked again, crying out this time.

"What are you doing?" Otto asked.

"If I stop moving I feel like I'm gonna die." Natalie kicked the wall again. "So I'm moving."

"Could you move _quietly_?" Otto asked. "You're driving me crazy."

"Well, sah_-ree_!" Natalie growled. She kicked out. "And I'm hungry. I wish we could get some food."

"We will in a few hours." Otto said reassuringly.

"Not the crap they give us in this place, proper food!" Natalie complained. She started pacing back and forth. "My mom makes amazing pancakes…"

"Raven?" Otto asked.

"No, my _other_ mom." Natalie said sarcastically. "Yes, Raven!"

"You're in an awful mood today." Otto said calmly.

"Yes, I am!" Natalie said. She rubbed her forehead. "Great- now I'm going to throw up again."

"Have fun!" Otto yelled as she vanished into the bathroom. He sighed and leaned against the wall, holding Raven, Natalie's son. She was acting like Laura had before Tobias and Alia had been born and Otto was worried. What would they do if she was pregnant? How could they hide that? Sooner or later, someone had guessed that he had been the father… and then Laura would find out…

"Are you okay?" Natalie said, wiping her mouth on her sleeve as she went back to pacing.

"Yep." Otto said.

"When you come back… are you and Laura going to get back together?" Natalie asked.

"I don't know." Otto said. "That's what I want… more than anything… but I thought she was happy with Alex."

"She still wants what she can't have." Natalie said. "And I'm sure she'd switch Alex for you in a second."

"Alex is pretty attractive." Otto said. "And he can be nice when he wants to be…"

"Yeah." Natalie grunted. "Which basically means he's only nice to Laura. Sooner or later, she's going to see that…"

_Sooner or later, she's _got _to see that. _Otto thought.


	46. Part Two: Chapter Sixteen

Laura yawned, rubbing her forehead. Alex took her face in his hand and started kissing her. "Hey? You okay?"

"Yes…" Laura breathed, rubbing her head against him.

"Good." Alex said. "You want to go to bed?" He leaned over and whispered in Laura's ear. She blushed, but it might have been from her fever.

"No…" Laura whispered. "I'm so tired…"

"You should move around." Alex said. "I think it would make it better. "

"No!" Laura yelled.

"Oh, come on." Alex scooped her up like a child. "You okay?"

"No! Now shut up and leave me alone." Laura whined, then started sobbing.

"Hey!" Alex said. He dropped her on the floor. "What was that?"

Laura sat on the floor and continued crying, her arms wrapping around her sides. "It hurts…" she whimpered.

"Shh…." Alex said. "You must be tired. You should go to bed."

"No- no, I'm okay…" Laura said. Alex picked her up again. She tried to fight away from him but she was so weak it didn't do anything.

He brought her into the room and laid her on the bed. Laura sighed and snuggled into the pillows.

"I'm gonna get you some Tylenol." Alex said. Laura grunted in response. When he came back, she wasn't breathing. His heart stopped, and he ran over and shook her shoulder. Laura rolled over and gasped weakly.

"Oh, _god…_" Alex stretched out beside her, stroking her face. _She's going to die. She's going to die right now and…_ His stomach twisted. _There's nothing I can do about it._

###

The guards grabbed Ashe, who didn't put up much of a fight. She seemed to know she was no match for the others. But Viktor took one look that her and ran off.

Katarina swore. "I'll go and get him." She said, taking off.

She rounded the corner and Viktor jumped out at her, slamming her head into the wall. She gasped as blood poured into her eyes.

"_You_." he hissed _"_need to die."


	47. Part Two: Chapter Seventeen

Katarina gasped as Viktor grabbed her neck. "I don't know who you are…" he said. "But you sure are annoying…"

"Let… let me go." Katarina choked out.

"Why should I?" Viktor said. He sighed. "You're talking too long to die… "

"I apologize." Katarina kicked at him, but her foot sailed harmlessly past his leg.

"Shut up." Viktor hissed. He twisted. There was a sickening CRACK and Katarina went limp.

_There_. He stood up and started to run for the hangar.

###

Natalie was lying down again, but this time she was doing push-ups. Otto sighed. "You are so weird."

"Shut up." Natalie huffed. "I'm busy."

"I can see that." Otto yawned, shifting Raven in his arms. "Hey, how come _I _always end up holding the baby?"

"Because you… well… I don't know." Natalie stood up, shrugging. "I suppose he likes you…"

"No, it's because you're always doing wacky stuff like push-ups." Otto muttered.

"Whatever." Natalie sat up, breathing hard. "Good… I think it's gone."

"Think what is gone?"

"I was feeling really exhausted and feverish for a while, but it's gone now." Natalie took Raven from him. "Otto…" She sighed. "I…"

"You what?" Otto said.

"I think I lo-"

Natalie was suddenly snatched off her feet by a man neither of them had seen. Raven fell from her arms and Otto caught him, leaving him off balance. He got to his feet, but not enough to stop the man from dragging Natalie off.

###

"Laura?" Alex said. She smiled. They'd been like this for the past half hour- Laura laying there, barely conscious, and then whenever she started to slip he'd call her name and bring her back. But this time, she sat up.

"I think… it's gone." She said.

"What?" Alex hugged her. "You're okay now?!"

"Yes." Laura said. She sighed. "I'm really hungry… can you get me a sandwich or something?"

Alex grinned "Sure!"

As he went into the kitchen, he caught sight of Siri. She was curled up in a ball, not making a sound. Alex tapped her shoulder. "Hey… Siri?"

She fell sideways, and Alex gasped. Her chest was streaked with blood, and her eyes were closed. "Siri! Who did this?"

"I did." Said a voice behind him. Something cold was stabbed into his back, and Alex knew no more.


	48. Part Two: Chapter Eighteen

Natalie was thrown onto a metal table. Her arms and legs were strapped down and someone grabbed her arm and jammed something into it. Whatever it was, it made her eyes close on their own and as hard as she tried she didn't have the strength to open them again.

When she woke up again she was lying in a bed, but she was still strapped down. There was an IV in her arm. She groaned and twisted, but the restraints held fast.

_What is going on here?_ she thought. She looked down at her arm and saw a line of neat stitches, dark against her pale skin.

_Some sort of surgery… but why? I'm healthy…_

"Natalie?"

She looked up and saw a woman looking up at her. She had straight dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. She looked like she was a little younger then Natalie.

"Hello." Natalie said. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The woman bit her lip and tried to smile. "I guess I am quite a bit taller than when you saw me last…"

"I'm sorry, I don't know you." Natalie said.

"Oh." The woman swiped at her eyes. "I ought to Facebook you for that." She muttered. Or that's what it sounded like, because that didn't make much sense.

"Sorry." Natalie said. "Um… did I go to school with you or something?"

"Yes." She sighed. "And no. Look, it doesn't matter."

"What's your name?" Natalie said.

"Er…" The girl frowned. "It's, um…. Gen."

"Gen?" Natalie said.

"Short for General of the World." Gen said.

"Ah." Natalie said. Gen certainly seemed familiar but she couldn't place her. "Um… do you happen to know if…. Well, am I going to have another baby?"

"Yep." Gen said.

Natalie swore.

"What?" said Gen. "You in trouble, or something?"

"I'm not the one who'll be in trouble." Natalie shrugged.

"You'll figure something out." Gen said brightly. "You're like your dad."

"Um." Said Natalie. "My father is a homicidal artificial intelligence."

"Oh." Gen seemed at a loss for words. Then she shrugged. "Well, no one told _me._"


	49. Part Two: Chapter Nineteen

"Yeah… well…" Natalie shrugged.

"Ooh!" Gen looked towards the door. "It's ALLAN! Al! Allan! Hey, Allan! Al! Allan! AL! Allen! AL!"

Natalie rolled her eyes. This felt so familiar…

"AL! ALLEN! AL-O! ALLIE! AL! ALLEN!" Gen sighed. "Arg… he's not listening… hey, look, it's Steve! Steve! Stevie! Steve-O! Stevie! Steve! Steve-O! YO!"

"Do you even sit still?" Natalie asked.

"Nah." Gen said. "I have ADOS."

"Er…" Natalie frowned. "What's that?"

"Attention deficit-" Gen turned around and looked in the complete opposite direction. "Ooooooh! Shiny!"

Natalie laughed. Gen giggled as well, raising her hand to brush her bangs out of her eyes. As she did so, her sleeve fell back and Natalie caught sight of the charm on her bracelet- a gold heart with the letters AMPF engraved in it.

Natalie gasped. "OH. MY. GOD."

###

Laura ducked her head into the kitchen. "Alex, about that sandwich… remember, I don't like mayonnaise, so don't put any on-"

She trailed off as she registered what she was seeing. Alex was slumped on the floor, a knife in his back. Siri was next to him.

"Si…ri?" Laura gasped. "You're a traitor?!"

The little girl lifted her head slightly, and Laura saw how badly she was injured. Slowly, she shook her head.

"What?" Laura wasn't sure why, but she turned around… and caught Hallie's hand just before the knife she was holding entered her back.

"Sorry to disappoint." Hallie hissed. "Now go over there and join my brother."

Hesitantly, Laura went and sat next to Siri and Alex. She shook Alex's shoulder. "Al…ex?"

He didn't move. Laura swallowed a sob, then grabbed Siri's hand.

Hallie muttered a word she must have learned from her mother. "I should have grabbed a gun… well, whatever." She looked at Laura. "Give me that, please."

Gently, Laura reached over and slid the knife from Alex's back. She tossed it to Hallie, who caught it.

"Okay…" Hallie looked around. "Now-"

"Oh, no." said a voice. The next second, Hallie had been knocked over and Anastasia was plucking the knife from her hand. She shook her finger at Hallie. "That is not how you betray someone."


	50. Part Two: Chapter Twenty

Laura blinked. "Er… who's side are you on?"

"Yours." Anastasia touched Hallie's neck and she fell unconscious. "Because I'm bored. What should we do with Little Miss Traitor?"

"I don't know." Laura said. Her attention was mostly focused on Alex. "Figure something out. Please."

"Right." Anastasia left the room with Hallie slung over her shoulder.

Laura grabbed Alex's wrist, feeling for something, anything. There was something. A tiny flicker.

Laura started kissing Alex, begging him in her head to wake up. He didn't move. She started crying.

"What's wrong?"

She turned around and saw… Otto?

"How the heck did you get here?" she spluttered.

"I don't know." Otto said. She saw that he was holding a baby in his arms, but pushed that thought into the back of her mind.

"Are you still dead?" Laura said, forcing herself to be calm.

"Nope." Otto said. "I think I'm officially living again."

Laura smiled, and then remembered Alex. She tried to pick him up, but it was too hard for her.

"What's wrong with him?" Otto said, sitting down next to her.

"He was stabbed." Laura whimpered. "Hallie… Hallie tried to kill us…"

"Hallie? Are you sure it wasn't Siri-" Otto looked down and saw Siri. "Oh."

"And then Anastasia saved us." Laura shrugged. "It's been a weird day…"

"We should take them to the hospital." Otto said.

"You're right." Laura said. "Go find Shelby, okay?"

"Okay." Otto set the baby in her arms. "Look after him, okay? He's Natalie's son and his name is Raven." Otto said, kissing the top of her head.

"And his father is Mark?" Laura said. She wasn't sure why, but there was a nervous fluttery feeling inside her that had started when Otto had appeared.

"Of course, don't be silly." Otto laughed, but alarm flashed in his eyes. He turned and left the room.

Laura rubbed her head. She had the feeling that there was something Otto wasn't telling her…


	51. Part Two: Chapter Twenty One

They took Alex and Siri to the hospital, but none of them had very much hope. Laura was surprised when both made it through the day.

She and Otto spent the day talking, and kissing, and trying not to think about the fact that Alex and Siri were dying. Otto told her about Natalie being taken. Twice he opened his mouth like he was going to say something important, but then decided not to say it and stared off in moody silence instead.

Siri died sometime in the night. Alex woke up a few hours later and demanded to see her.

He looked awful, pale and nothing like his usual self. He smiled when he saw her, though.

"Otto's back." Laura said carefully.

"I know." Alex's expression became grim. "And the two of you will get back together?"

"Yes." Laura bit her lip. "I'm sorry! I don't want to hurt you…"

"To be honest I kind of deserve it." Alex said. He shrugged. "I want to talk to Katarina. She had her baby, didn't she?"

"Alex, Katarina is dead." Laura said softly.

Alex looked down at his hands. "What happened?"

"Raven's dad killed her." Laura bit her lip. "And speaking of Raven…"

"No." Alex whispered.

"There was an explosion. She and Nero were killed." Laura put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Alex."

"Did they find her body?" Alex said, trying not to let himself hope.

"Yes." Laura said. "She's definitely gone."

"Oh." Alex was quiet for a moment. He sighed. "This has been a bad week… I lost my son… my parents… Katarina… and now you're leaving too."

"I'm not going anywhere." Laura ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yes, you are." Alex sighed. "You have Otto back. There's no place for me."

"We'll find something." Laura whispered. She leaned back and swore.

_Why on earth did I have to fall in love with two men… at once?_


	52. Part Two: Chapter Twenty Two

"Hope?!" Natalie spluttered.

"Yes, me." Hope said happily.

"HOW THE HECK DID YOU SURVIVE THAT?! WHY HAVEN'T YOU SHOWN UP BEFORE?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH %&(_ I'VE BEEN GETTING FROM ALEX OVER YOUR 'DEATH'?! I HAVE HALF A MIND TO-"

"Calm down." Hope said. "I survived because of this." She held up her bracelet again. "I can freeze time, sort of. And I've only just woken up." She frowned. "I had to take about thirty showers to get the dirt out from my nails. It is no fun to be stuck in a hole in the ground for ten years, let me tell you."

"Be glad we didn't decide to cremate you." Natalie said nastily.

Hope made a pouting face. "Hey! That was _mean_!"

"Sorry." Said Natalie, not feeling very sorry. "Say, can I go home now?"

"No." Hope said. "Oh, and btw you're the headmistress of H.I.V.E, Alex is your ninja counterpart and Katariana, Siri, Raven and Nero all died."

"WHAT?!" Natalie spluttered.

Hope sighed, irritated. "YOU are the HEADMISTRESS of-"

"I got that part." Natalie snapped. "I got all of it, actually. I'm just shocked."

"And Darth Vader is really Luke's father." Hope said.

"Well, that was random." Natalie said, rolling her eyes.

"I just wanted to see if I could get another 'WHAT!?' out of you." Hope shrugged. "Have you seen that movie?"

"No." Natalie said. "I've been too busy saving the world."

"Well, then. You, me, Shelby and Laura. We are going to sit down next week and watch all the Star Wars movies. It'll be a girl night!"

"Why are we watching Star Wars on a girl night?" Natalie muttered.

"Shut up, or I'll Force-push you out of here." Hope threatened.

"I'm not sure if I should be worried for myself, or for your sanity." Natalie grumbled.

"Yourself." Hope said. "My sanity is beyond help."


	53. Part Two: Chapter Twenty Three

"Wait, why won't you let me go?" Natalie asked.

"Because you need to wait another hour for us to either get a positive or negative reaction from the experiment." Hope said.

"Is that what you did to me?" Natalie asked.

"Yep." Hope said.

"How will I know if we get a result?" Natalie asked.

"Well, if it's positive you'll be fine… if it's negative you'll start coughing blood and die in about ten minutes." Hope said, yawning.

"Lovely." Natalie sighed.

###

Ashe sat on the narrow bed in her cell in the brig. She was calm. They would not execute her, she knew. She was too smart and had too many secrets. And she was a Furan. She was not afraid of torture.

Hallie, sitting curled up next to her, was frightened. She was so scared she thought her head was going to explode. Ashe put her arm around her.

"Stop shivering. Do you want my sweater?"

Hallie shrugged.

Ashe sighed. "I know people. They will break us out of here."

"Are you sure?" Hallie whimpered.

"Positive." Ashe yawned. "This is all part of the plan…"

###

Laura sat in the passenger compartment of the Shroud that… whoever was in charge at HIVE now had sent. She was leaning against Otto, but Alex was holding her hand. Alia was on her lap, Tobias was on Otto's and Angelique had been strapped to the ceiling by the triplets via duct tape. Laura was very aware that both Otto and Alex were staring at her.

"Stop that." She said, glancing at both of them.

"Stop what?" Alex said.

"We're not doing anything…" Otto whined.

"Yes, you are. You're staring at me." Laura grumbled.

"Well, can you pick?!" Otto said.

"It's driving me mad." Alex grumbled, squeezing her hand.

"FINE!" Laura yelled. "Fine fine fine fine fine!"

She stood up.

"I PICK YOU!"

**Okay, so for part three I'm just going to continue with this story, but for part four I'm either going to switch so it's centered around Tobias and Alia, or go back to when Natalie and Alex and Hope were little and still lived with Raven and Nero. Both of them sound good to me, so if anybody cares, please review and tell me which you'd prefer. **


	54. Part Two: Chapter Twenty Four

"Aaaaaaaand… you are alive!" Hope stood up. "And therefor able to go home!"

"You couldn't, like, _explain _anything to me or anything?" Natalie said sarcastically.

"Yeah. Come on. Let's go take a helicopter to H.I.V.E." Hope said.

"I CALL DRIVING!" Natalie said very quickly.

###

Laura sighed as she snuggled up against Alex, who put his arms around her.

"You're heavy." Alex grunted.

"Thanks a lot." Laura sighed. "I love you, Alex."

"I know. I love you too." He kissed the top of her head.

"I'm really sorry." Laura said. "But I can only have one of you, you know, and Otto…"

"It's fine." Alex's smile became rather forced. "Go on. You and your family should probably go… bond."

Laura hugged him. "Thanks, Alex."

As she left, Alex sighed and leaned against the wall. _There's no one for me-_

"ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLII IIX!"

The next thing he knew, he was knocked off his feet by something big and heavy.

"What the heck was that?" Alex spluttered.

"A small whirling dervish." said Natalie's voice. "Or your little sister…"

He looked down and saw Hope, grinning crazily. But his smile beat even hers.

"Excuse me?"

Natalie's arms were crossed and she looked annoyed.

"I believe _someone _owes me an apology…" she said, tapping her foot anxiously.

"Okay." Alex stood up. "I'm sorry for treating you like crap for ten years over a crime you didn't commit." He held out his hand. Natalie shook it. Then, unable to contain herself any longer, she ran forward and hugged Alex.

"SIBLING PILE!" Hope yelled, grabbing both of them and knocking them off balance. They landed in a heap. The triplets jumped out of nowhere and piled on.

"OW! Get your elbow out of my face!"

"Get your _face_ out of my elbow!"

"This is an extremely interesting way for the headmistress of a school for villains to spend her first afternoon in said position- IVAN, DID YOU JUST LICK ME?!"


	55. Part Two: Chapter Twenty Five

**Two days later…**

Natalie tugged at the edge of the blood red silk scarf that was wrapped around her neck, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't look like a leader. She looked like a scared kid.

_I _am _just a kid. _

"You look good."

She jumped and turned around. "Otto?! How'd you get in here?"

"Through the door."

"Oh, for crying out loud…" Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Nervous?" Otto said, twirling a wayward curl that had escaped Natalie's neat bun around his finger.

"No." Natalie snapped. "I'm only about to meet several hundred teenage villains and tell them that I'm their leader now."

"It'll be fine." Otto said.

"I'm only six years older than some of them!" Natalie spluttered. "There's no way they're going to listen to me-"

"You're Nero's daughter." Otto said.

"Not biologically."

"I think that… you must have started out as his baby." Otto said. "It's not physically possible otherwise. Overlord must have just changed you so you were more like him."

"Great." Natalie pulled a face. "That means I was probably created in the bed I'm sleeping in every night."

"You looked like you hadn't gotten much sleep."

"Well, duh. I have a speech and a funeral today. It's not like I was looking forward to that or something." She sighed. "Why did they have to die? They were so strong, and I thought they were finally happy… and they could have tried to escape, at least!"

"I guess… they were caught off guard and they wanted to end it their way." Otto shrugged. "If they'd tried to fight one of them might have made it, but you saw how lonely Nero got without Raven. They need to be together."

"I guess…" Natalie sighed. "This is going to be soooo hard."

"I know." Otto put his arm around his shoulders. "So you ready to go make a speech to your new students? Who will all probably revolt and cause anarchy?"

"Shut up, Otto."

"Any time."


	56. Part Two:Chapter Twenty Six

Natalie collapsed onto the bed, sighing.

"That went pretty well." Alex said, closing the door behind her. Hope stuck her foot in it so she could force her way in.

"Yep!" Hope said. "No rioting, no one threw any tomatoes-"

"Why would they have tomatoes?"

"They could have blackmailed H.I.V. or something-"

"That's just ridiculous-"

"I don't understand why you freaked out so much when she died," Natalie growled. "because all you do is argue."

"I'm starting to wonder myself, actually."

"Hey!" Hope wacked Alex on the head. "Bad Alex!"

"Otto was wondering if he could teach Nero's class." Natalie yawned. "I told him to go for it. I always sucked at school…"

"So he and Laura and their family will keep living here?" Alex asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"Yeah." Natalie said. "Actually, make that Otto, Laura and their _rapidly expanding family_ living here." She sighed. "I think he's trying to break Raven's record."

"Raven had a record?" Hope asked. "Was it like, best ninja ever?"

"No, nine kids."

"Oh, yeah…" Hope yawned. "I feel sorry for Hallie, stuck in the brig."

"She deserved it." Alex said, rubbing his back. "That HURT."

"Well duh. Did you think it would tickle or something to be stabbed in the back?"

"No. Do you have a lot of experience with that?"

"Nope. Now stabbed in the chest-"

"Would you like to _start_ getting experience?"

"Not particularly."

"Then shut up." Alex glanced at Natalie. "Hey, you okay?"  
"Can I trust you guys?" Natalie said quietly.

"Sure!" Hope yelled, running over and hugging her. "We're your best buds! Now what did you do?!"

"Somehow, that doesn't make me eager to spill." Natalie sighed. "I'm going to have Otto's baby."

"Can I tell Laura?" Alex said before he could think. "Um, I mean… that sucks."

"Thank you for your support." Natalie sighed. "Hope… why are you getting out your phone?"

"Don't you think the world deserves to know this?"

"No!"

"Can I at least Tweet it giving you and Otto code names?"

"ALEX, KNOCK HER UNCONSCIOUS!"


	57. Part Two:Epilogue

Epilogue

"_When are they going to come?" Hallie whispered. She coughed into her hand. "It's so cold down here… I miss Mommy."_

"_Your mother is dead." Ashe was in a bit of a bad mood- Viktor was behind schedule. That was the problem with having a second-in-command who thought he was in charge- they tended to do things when they were convenient instead of when they were told to._

"_Oh." Hallie wrapped her arms around her arms, which were covered in goose bumps. "I forgot, for a second…"_

"_Don't worry, there are people who will take care of you." _If they ever show up. _She rolled her eyes._

But that's fine. I can wait…

###

_Otto yawned and shifted position so he could see his book better. He loved being on vacation. Without Tobias, Alia and Angelique. And the triplets, who had sort of adopted them as parents(that, or they all had crushes on Alia.) _

"_Otto!"_

_He looked up and saw Laura, smiling at him. Which normally would have been fine, only she looked kind of… mad._

_Normally, Otto would have immediately apologized, even though he had no idea what he'd done wrong (or even if he'd done anything wrong.) But something told him that strategy wasn't going to work here._

"_Natalie had her baby." Laura said. Her smile became even more like a grimace._

"_Really?" Otto said. "And everything's fine, and all that?"_

"_Yep." Laura lost her smiled altogether. "And Alex sent be a picture. Wasn't that nice of him?"_

"_Er… yes." He still had no idea what he'd done wrong. There was probably something he'd forgotten… "Is it someone's birthday or something?"_

"_No." Laura looked just plain mad now. "Alex sent the picture to _me _and _only me."

"_Okay…" Otto said. _

_Laura burst into tears and threw her blackbox at him. "OH, GO AND LOOK ALREADY!" she yelled, and then ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. _

_Otto picked it up and stared at the screen. His heart sank._

_Natalie's newborn daughter had snow-white hair, and bright blue eyes…_


	58. Part Three:Chapter One

**February 10****th****, 2024**

Natalie yawned as she stirred her coffee. "Personally, I don't see what the big problem is. I mean, Saffron is healthy… I'm healthy…"

"AND LAURA HATES MY GUTS!" Otto yelled, slamming his hands down on the table and knocking over his own cup. The hot coffee spilled off the table and into Raven's lap, who started screaming. Natalie picked him up and kissed the top of his head.

"Did she honestly say that?"

"No, but I'm sure she _thought _it." Otto snapped.

"Really?" Natalie said. "Because that sounds like something an elementary schooler would say."

"You don't get it." Otto grunted. "I just finally got up the courage to be with Laura again… and now she hates my-"

"Guts." Natalie frowned. "Yes, I got that part. Just tell her what happened!"

"She won't believe me! She'll think I'm just making up some excuse and that I had an affair with you!"

"I'll back you up."  
"No good."

"Great." Natalie sighed. "Then what _can _I do?"

"I dunno." Otto said.

"Then why did you even come here?" Natalie sighed. "Just to complain?"

"Momma…" Raven rubbed up against her arm. "Pants all wet."

"I know." Natalie said, stroking his hair. She stood up, setting him on his hip. "Let's go change, okay?"

"You're going to change, or he's going to change?"

"You know, I can sort of see why Laura would think you're having an affair with me." Natalie said, rolling her eyes.

"I was just wondering if I should leave or not." Otto said. "Because I don't want things to get… weird."

"Too late." Natalie sighed. "Things are already pretty weird."

"I guess you're right." Otto sighed. "Stupid Alex. Why did he have to send Laura that picture?"

"Because he likes her." Natalie retrieved a new pair of pants from her drawer for Raven. "Besides, she would have seen eventually. "

"You're right. I should have just told her." Otto yawned. "But now that we're supposedly together, don't you think we should-"

Natalie smacked him on the head so hard his forehead hit the table.

"How the heck did you get over there?!"

"My mom. Ninja assassin." Natalie rolled her eyes. "Coming back to you, now?"

"Oh yeah…"


	59. Part Three: Chapter Two

Hope yawned as she hung over the edge of the bed. She wasn't sure why, but it was like someone had forgotten to turn her maturity on as she grew up. Maybe it had to do with being dead for a few years. She stood up and shook her wet hair like a dog, spraying her room with drops of water. She always lazed around a few minutes after taking a shower, reading a comic book or playing on her phone, before Natalie had yanked the door open and yelled at her for making her late-

The door opened, as did Hope's mouth. "CLOSE YOUR EYES RIGHT NOW, CUZ I'M IN A TOW- Oh, hi Timothy."

"Er…" Timothy had his eyes closed, thankfully. "You're in a towel?"

"A pink one, with flip-flop embroidery in the left corner." Hope said cheerfully. "Hang on a moment and I'll get my bathrobe on."  
Once her bathrobe was securely fastened, she told Timothy to open his eyes. He did so.

"Um, Alex told me to go and find you." he said.

"Oh." Hope stood up and started out into the hall. "Idiot. That stupid ninja assassin job of his has given him a swelled head-"

"Er…. don't you think you ought to change out of the bathrobe first?"

"Alex used to take baths with me, it's fine." Hope said dismissively. She frowned. "Then again, that was over twenty years ago…"

###

Otto stared down at the little baby lying on Natalie's bed. She didn't look like she was capable of causing much trouble, but looks could be deceiving…

"What did you say her name was again?"

"Saffron."

"_Saffron_?"

"You named your daughter _Guinevere." _Natalie snapped.

"Okay, maybe I did." Otto shrugged. "So... now I go talk to Laura and you go to your G.L.O.V.E. hologram meeting thingy and we act like nothing ever happened?"

"Yep." Natalie bit her lip.

_I love you._

But she couldn't say that, especially not now, not with everything that was going on…


	60. Part Three: Chapter Three

Otto tapped Laura on his shoulder. She turned around and stared icily at him. "Yes?"

"Look." Otto said. "I understand that you're mad at me, but can you please just listen to the truth?"

"Okay." Laura said. Otto sat down next to her, and she leaned her head over his shoulder.

"Overlord's destroyed. He can't control me anymore. But… whenever I'm with a girl… I lose control completely, and… that's what happened with Natalie. He pretty much took me over. Natalie tried to fight me but she fell and hit her head… and she got knocked up." Otto bit his lip. "I didn't want to do it. Natalie's like a sister to me. I don't like her in that way… not even a little bit." Otto kissed the top of her head. "So… can you forgive me?"

"I'll try." Laura said. "If it never happens again, you got it?"

"It won't. I promise." He hugged her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Laura said.

"Kids do anything interesting?"

"Turned the whole living room into a fort." Laura shrugged. "I guess that's interesting enough… if you aren't the one cleaning it up. Oh, and Tobias wants a dog."

"A dog?"

"Yep. He says since we're _making _him get a brother, we should give him a dog."

"Wow." Otto said. "That makes _no_ sense."

"Yeah." Laura shrugged. "He's seven."

"Geez." Otto rubbed his head. "Remember when we thought they were dead?"

"That was so awful…" Laura muttered.

"I know." Otto said. He put his hand around Laura's waist, rubbing her side.

"How many kids are we going to have?" Laura asked, rubbing his shoulder with her head.

"Mm. Who cares about that now?" Otto shrugged. "We'll figure it out when we figure it out."

"'Kay, then." Laura said. "Do you have a class?"

"Not until later."

"Then let's go back home." Laura said, kissing his cheek.

"Sure." Otto said. He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Laura pushed James and Alex from her mind. She wondered what Alex was doing right now… probably something ninja-y. Or arguing with Hope. She'd notice, however, that Hope preferred bugging Otto. She'd started wondering if maybe she had different motives then just being annoying….


	61. Part Three: Chapter Four

Natalie lay on her bed, flipping through the photo album of her childhood that Otto had found so many years ago. She sighed. Hope's death, her imprisonment inside of her own head… it all seemed like it had happened so long ago. She closed her eyes and wished she could talk to Raven in her mind like she had before. But she felt nothing. Overlord was destroyed, so Raven and Natalie were no longer connected as strongly. She half-wished she'd left him around…

"Momma?"

She looked up and saw Raven. He could walk and talk a little now, and she was starting to notice more and more how much he looked like Mark…

"Yes, sweet?"

"Who's dat?" He pointed down at the picture of Raven her hand was half-covering.

"That's my momma." Natalie said. Just saying that made her want to cry. She wished she could be more like Alex, keeping all her emotions on the inside. She'd been able to do that once, before her mind had been invaded.

"Oh." Raven frowned. "Where is she?"

"She's gone, honey." Natalie said, kissing his forehead. _She left me alone…_

###

"Hi!" Hope yelled.

"Hi." Alex said. He was sitting with Katarina's son on his lap, half in the shadows. He almost looked like part of him was made of shadow.

"The triplets can do that." Hope said.

"Do what?"

"That melting-into-the-shadows thing." Hope said. "So can Natalie."

"Natalie can do it sometimes." Alex said. "She can't hide from me, though."

"And Raven couldn't hide from Nero." Hope frowned. "Does that mean you love her?"

"Shut up." Alex snapped.

"What, are you embarrassed to have feelings? Most of us do. We aren't all heartless shadow ninjas."

"_Heartless shadow ninjas_?" Alex spluttered.

"You know it's true, bub." Hope sighed. "I can't do the shadow ninja thing at _all_…"

"That's because you need people to look at you ALL THE TIME."

"Hey!"


	62. Part Three: Chapter Five

Ashe smiled at Viktor as he held open the door to let her out. "Thank you."

Hallie smiled shyly at him. Viktor raised an eyebrow, plainly thinking _Why have you brought along a little kid?_

"Don't be fooled by appearances." Ashe hissed.

"Trust me, I am not." he said.

"Good." Ashe said. "Now follow me. We are synched and ready to begin."

"Excellent." Viktor smiled.

Hallie wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she smiled too.

###

"Ow!" Max snapped. "That's my foot."

"I know it's your foot!" Viktor growled. "I am _trying_ to get your _attention_."

"Well, it looks like you have it." Ivan yawned. "So what do you want to say?"

"Um." Viktor frowned. "I forgot."

"Great." Max said.

"How about 'Let's go stop them?' Ivan said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah…"

"I'll go get Alex and Hope." Viktor said. "You two… make a giant spider web outside the hangar. Make it so they can't get out. Hold it as long as possible."

"'Course." Max grinned. "Come on, let's go be spiders."

Viktor climbed into the ventilation system and started crawling. He wished Hallie had taught him more before she'd gone psycho… she'd been a pro at this stuff. He reached Alex's room after much too long.

"Alex!" He dropped down and landed on the bed, scaring his two siblings. "Hallie and Ashe are escaping!"

Hope was already off and running.

"How does she do that?" Alex asked, scooping Viktor onto his back and taking off after her. "Too many doughnuts?"

"Nah, just crazy fast reactions." Viktor said. "Siri had that too…"

"No talking about dead people." Alex said. "New rule."

"I don't live in TWATA." Viktor said.

"What?"

"The World According To Alex." Viktor shrugged. "Natalie said that."

"I figured." Alex said. "And this was when we hated each other?"

"Yep."

"Then in that case I will not ask what that means."


	63. Part Three: Chapter Six

Natalie sat down on the edge of her bed, feeling suddenly ill.

Otto opened the door. "Hey. Alex says something's up."

"What?"

"It's Ashe and Hallie. They're getting away."

"Darn!" Natalie jumped up. Then her world started to fade as she collapsed onto her bed. Otto fell down next to her.

"I feel dizzy all of the sudden…" he muttered.

_I don't need you here._ hissed a voice in her head. She clapped her hands over her ears , realizing that it wasn't her father's voice but Ashe's.

"Me too…" Natalie reached out and took his hand, then closed her eyes.

_Leave now, and go somewhere else._

###

For a moment, she thought she was back in the cell where Raven had been born. It was just as dark, and cold, and she was crammed into a narrow cot with Otto next to her and a baby in her arms. But something was off. The baby was more of a toddler, too old to be Raven, and the man had dark hair. He sat up and yawned.

"How're you doing?"

"Fine." She said. The little kid in her arms sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was a girl, with short dark hair and bright blue eyes. She looked really familiar, actually…

"Good." He rubbed her shoulder. She climbed out of bed. The man followed her. He was older then her, thirty maybe. She was younger, too… like eighteen. She wanted to ask where they were but had a feeling that would be stupid.

"You okay, Natalya?" he said. "You look really pale."

"Yeah, fine." She smiled. She had the feeling she knew this guy, but she didn't know from where. Maybe he was part of G.L.O.V.E. or something.

Wait a minute.

He hadn't said Natalia. He'd said _Natalya_.

Which could only mean one thing.

Natalie sat down hard. _Oh_, crap.


	64. Part Three: Chapter Seven

Hope stared out at the slowly vanishing Shroud. "Pickles!"

"What, is that your version of swearing or something?" Timothy said.

"Yeah." Hope put her hands on her hips. "You got a problem with that?"

"Guys, focus." Alex said.  
"Yeah." Ivan said. "We need a computer."

"Why?" Alex said.

"Because the duct tape he tagged them with is the tracker kind Siri made for us." Max explained.

"Oh!" Hope said. "That's great!"

"I'll go get one." Timothy said, running off.

Laura walked over to them. She looked worried.

"Have you seen Otto? I can't find him anywhere?"

"Or Natalie. Has anyone seen Natalie?" Alex yelled.

"Natalie and Otto are missing?" Hope asked. "That's not good, given their track record."

"Don't remind me." Laura put her hand over her stomach. "I'm going to the hospital."

"Why, is something wrong with the baby?" Alex asked.

"Something's wrong with him." Hope said. "Did you know that you're the screen saver on his phone, and it's that picture of your wedding only he's Photoshopped Otto's face out and put his head in its place? And every time he sees it he gets this dreamy look on his face like he's Alex in Wonderland?"

"HOPE!" Alex yelled, balling up his fists.

But all Laura said was "I hate that picture. I look fat and it looks like Otto's tickling me." (**The picture they're talking about, by the way, was the cover for Part Three of And Then There Was Cheese.**)

"Well, you couldn't help it. You had twins, remember?" Alex said.

"Yes, well, those same twins are watching all the Indian Jones movies as we speak." Laura said.

"And they're _how_ old?"

"I needed something for them to do so nothing exploded!" Laura snapped. "Don't you remember that time-"

"Vividly." Alex sighed. "I'll come with you. I don't have anything better to do."

"Um, what about searching for Ashe and Hallie?" Hope called as he started to walk away. Alex ignored her, sliding his hand in Laura's.


	65. Part Three: Chapter Eight

"Um… what's for breakfast?" Natalie asked. She tried to think of what could be happening. Had she gone back in time? But that didn't explain why she'd turned into Raven.

And if she was Raven, the little girl must be… her. She looked like she was about two, so that meant that Alex must either be inside Raven… (she tried not to think 'inside her') or soon going to be. And that… would be really, really bad. Even though she and Nero weren't actually related, it would still be awkward to do… that.

"I don't know… whatever they normally give us for breakfast in here." Nero said.

"Bek-fast." Little Natalie sat up. "Up."

Natalie scooped her up and kissed the top of her head. "Hey." She turned to Nero. "How long have we been here, again? It feels like forever…"

"I know it's hard, but just hang in there." Nero said. "It's only been a week or so…"

"Aw…" Natalie rubbed her head. "When can we get out of here?"

"We will…. as soon as we can." Nero took Little Natalie from her. "Do you want some sleep? I know she wakes you up at night."

"It's fine." Natalie slid her hand in his. It felt strangely normal, if she just pretended he was Mark. Which she was pretty sure she shouldn't be doing….

###

"Hey, Natalie!"

Hope shook her older sister awake. Natalie groaned. "What, Hope?"

For a moment, Hope felt a sense of dread. Then it was gone. "We have a CRISIS SITUATION. We need our headmistress- hey, what's Otto doing here?"

"He came to talk to me." Natalie said. She shook Otto, who rolling over and muttered something about potatoes.

"A likely story." Hope giggled. Strangely, Natalie smirked instead of loudly defending herself.

"Don't tell Laura. It'll be our little secret. Okay?"

"Okay…" Hope said.

Something strange was definitely going on. Unfortunately, right now she had other things to focus on…

She'd deal with it later, and hope that 'later' wouldn't be too late.


	66. Part Three: Chapter Nine

Laura sighed. "I'm so tired…"

"Well, you're pretty much single-handedly raising three kids." Alex said. "Soon to be four kids. And looking after the triplets, who take a lot of energy to deal with…"

"Oh… Otto helps me a lot of the time." Laura said.

"Well, I mean… he's teaching a lot of the time, right?" Alex said.

"Yeah, but he still looks after the kids." Laura eyed Alex. "Are you still trying to tell me you're still trying to hook up with me?"

"Yeah, I guess." Alex said. "'Cause you're cute."

"Thanks." Laura smiled, leaning her head against her shoulder. "You're really nice, Alex… but Otto's the one for me."

"I know…" Alex rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying…"

"Okay…" Laura said.

Dr. Scott came over to them. "You're clear."

"Are you sure?" Laura said. "Because it feels like I'm okay…"

"Well, you have a healthy baby girl inside of you." Dr. Scott said. "I don't understand what could possibly be wrong."

"Strange." Laura stood up. "Well, I should go."

"Yes, let's go find my psychopathic younger sister with tracker duct tape." Alex said. "Because that's not weird at all."

Laura smiled.

"You're so funny, Al…" She slumped over and collapsed.

"Laura?!" Alex yelled. He shook her shoulder. She didn't stir. He shook harder. Still nothing. "Make sure she's okay." He ordered Dr. Scott. Then he took off.

"That guy is nuts." Max said, popping out of the ceiling and scaring everyone present.

"Where is he even going?" Ivan asked.

"Who knows?" Viktor yawned. "Anyone want popcorn?"

###

Natalie sat up, rubbing her head. Little Natalie was tugging at her hair. "Momma, someone's here."

Natalie looked up. Nero got up off of her. She saw a man standing in the corner.

"Furan?" she spluttered.

"The one and only." He smiled. "You three can go now."

"What?" Natalie said. "You're just going to let us go?"

"Oops… I mean the _four_ of you." Furan crossed his arms. "She's seventeen years old. You really are pathetic, you know."

"Shut up." Natalie stood up. "You're the one who trains ten year olds to kill each other. I think that's much more pathetic then being in love with someone."

"Of course you'd say that." He sneered. "You're the one in love with him."

"I distinctly heard myself say 'shut up'." Natalie took a step towards him. "So stop being mean and let us go."

"I will… just a moment." Furan narrowed his eyes. "First, I think you need to be taught a lesson."


	67. Part Three: Chapter Ten

"Laura passed out." Alex panted, stopping in front of Natalie.

"What? She did?" Natalie bit her lip. "Dang. Well, we can deal with that in a moment, there's someone for you to interrogate."

"Really?" Alex perked up. He was good at interrogations. "Who?"

"One of the people who came to rescue Hallie and Ashe was captured." Natalie said. "She's Katarina's younger sister. Sepia London."

"Kat's… sister?"

"You heard me." Natalie said. "Now go do your thing, Alex."

###

Hallie shivered. "It's so cold here!"

"It's supposed to me." Ashe said. "Here- you there, get her a jacket."

"It's cool, though." Hallie looked around. "Like a big castle."

"Yes." Ashe said. She sighed. "Unfortunately, it'll take a while before it's all livable. It's been uninhabited for a few years."

"Oh." Hallie took the jacket that one of the men offered her and pulled it around her shoulders. It was much too large for her and hung down around her shoulders.

"You're so cute." Ashe carefully zipped her up. "Now we can go and talk to Viktor."

"Viktor? Like, my brother?"

"No." Ashe took her hand. "He helped rescue us, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." Hallie wrinkled her nose. "I don't like him, much."

"To tell you the truth?" Ashe said. "I don't either."

###

Sepia sat with her arms crossed on the narrow cot inside her cell. She had long dark hair pulled back in a braid, elfish features and eyes like Katarina, constantly shifting and changing.

She was one of the most beautiful girls Alex had even seen, and that included Laura. He took a hesitant step towards her. Even though she was the prisoner and he was in charge, he somehow felt that it was the other way around…

"Who are you?" Sepia's voice sounded bored.

"I'm Alex Nero." He said. "Who are you?"

"Sepia London." She tilted her head slightly to one side. "If you're trying to interrogate me, that's not going to get you anything."

Alex smiled. "Oh, I don't really want information…"


	68. Part Three: Chapter Eleven

"You're disgusting." Natalie growled.

Alex shut the door to Sepia cell while finishing zipping up his jumpsuit. "What? Is something wrong with my interrogation tactics, _headmistress?_"

"No, but something is wrong with you. You're sick."

"Really? I seemed healthy to me-"

"You know what I mean." Natalie hissed. She took a deep breath and started walking, her expression stormy. Alex followed her. "So what did you find out from your… _interrogation_?"

"When Ashe was with Nero she somehow made it so she can control all of us." Alex said. "So we should be prepared for an attack at any second."

"And you and Laura and Otto and the kids wouldn't be affected, right?" Natalie said. "Because you weren't there."

"Neither would you." Alex pointed out.

"But what about you?" Alex asked. "You were gone too…"

"Yeah, but…" Natalie rubbed her arm. "They did something to me. I'm pretty sure I can be controlled as well."

"Great." Alex sighed.

"Is she crying?" Natalie asked, stopping in the middle of the hallway.

"Who?"

"Sepia! Geez!" Natalie yelled.

"I don't understand why this is annoying you so badly." Alex said. "Is it because of Otto and Saffron?"

"No, it's because of me hearing Mum cry herself to sleep whenever Nero wasn't around the entire time she was expecting Siri!" Natalie bellowed. "And also because that's how _I_ got here! And look at all the damage _that _did!"

"Oh, you aren't that awful-"

"I mean to our family!" Natalie yelled. "You and Hope and I all got shipped off- do you remember that? And Nero and Raven split up!"

"They got back together and had five more kids." Alex rolled her eyes. "So obviously it couldn't have been _that_ devastating."

###

Natalie knew that she should be scared as she dropped into a fighting stance facing Furan, but all she could think about was Raven, and so she was angry instead.

"What?" Furan sneered. "Aren't you going to set the baby down before you show off?"

Oh, yeah.

She passed Little Natalie to Nero and attacked. But Furan blocked her easily. He was fast, and much, much stronger than her, the result of his training taking years where as she'd learned more by a combination of having a crazy, violent life and instincts.

_Why did I agree to this? That did not show intelligence on my part._

WHAM!

She wasn't sure how it had happened, but the next thing she knew she was flat on her back, blood streaming from her nose and freshly split lip.

"Done yet?" Furan snarled.

"Um, I believe that you were the one who decided to attack _me._" Natalie snapped.

Another blow sent her reeling backwards.

"Okay, okay…" Natalie got shakily to her feet. "I get it."

"Get what-"

All of the sudden, Natalie was gone. Furan started to turn around but not before Natalie hit him in the head so hard he was knocked unconscious.

Nero sighed. "Natalya… he was going to let us out."  
"Oh… yeah…."


	69. Part Three: Chapter Twelve

Otto yawned and sat up. "What the…"

"Hi." Hope said.

"Hi." Otto rubbed his head. "What just happened?"

"Um, you passed out." Hope said. "You feeling okay?" He was reminded of Natalie, taking care of him way back when they were captured.

"Yeah." Otto said. "I just... headache. Where's Laura?"

"Laura? She's in the hospital… she's unconscious. Hallie and Ashe escaped, too, but we'll be able to find them again. In fact, I think the triplets are locating them now…"

"Um… why them?"

"I have no idea." Hope shrugged. "Actually… when you think about it that isn't a good thing, is it…" She sighed. "Ah well. Hopefully they won't do something… something like they always do." She frowned. "_Crap_."

"It was easier when Raven was around." Otto said. "Then she could handle it."

"I never really got to meet her." Hope said. "Cuz when I was ten, she 'died', and then she really died before I could show up again…"

"She and Nero fought a lot." Otto shrugged. "Kind of like Natalie and Alex… only different."

"Thanks." Hope sighed. "Well, we should probably go find my brothers… come on. "

The triplets were not searching for Ashe and Hallie. Instead, they were chasing each other around arguing over who got to play on the computer first.

"Oi!" Hope bellowed. "You lot stay put!"

The three froze.

"Wow, I wish I could train my kids to do that." Otto muttered.

"Hi, dad." Alia said from behind him, making him jump. "What do you want us to do?"

"Nothing, nothing…"

Tobias grabbed the computer and started running the search. Alia yawned. "I'm bored…"

"Great." Otto sighed. "Why don't you guys… go find Alex?"

"We don't need to find him." Alia said.

"Yeah, we know where he is." Tobias added. (Alia glared at him)

"Where is he, then?" Otto said.

"He's-" Angelique started, popping up from under the table.

"Wherever-" Alia interrupted.

"Mum is." Tobias completed with a smirk. (Alia hit him on the head.)

"_Great_." Otto muttered.


	70. Part Three: Chapter Thirteen

When Furan woke up, he was not happy.

"What did you do that for?" he snapped at Natalie.

"I… it was an accident."

"Well, follow me." He opened the door and he led them down the hall and into a large hangar.

"Where are we going?" Natalie asked.

"No asking questions." Furan snapped. He pointed to a black helicopter. "Now get in."

Natalie hesitated.

"Now!" Furan yelled.

She climbed into the back. Nero followed her and set Little Natalie down on her lap.

"What was the point of capturing us at all?" Natalie yelled down to Furan. But they had already taken off.

###

"Found them!" Tobias yelled. Otto, Alia, Angelique and Hope all crowded around the screen.

"Great." Alia sighed. "That's in the middle of an ocean, you doofus!"

"No- it's probably an island." Tobias said.

"An island in the middle of an o-hang on that makes sense." Alia yawned. "I'm too tired to think. Angelique… go get me some chocolate."

"I'm not your slave!"

"I just said you were! Now go!"

"Hold it." Otto grabbed Alia's arm. "Angelique is _not _your slave. If you want chocolate, get it yourself."

"Fine!" Alia started to twist away but Otto held firm.

"Only you aren't allowed any, anyway, so you can just sit down, missy."

"Why not?!" Alia spluttered.

"Because I said so." Otto snapped. He was really getting annoyed.

"That's a crappy reason!" Alia yelled.

"Yeah, well when you're older you can get a girl pregnant and have to deal with this and come up with your own reasons!" Otto yelled. He let go off her arm and slammed the door behind him as he left.

"I thought temper tantrums stopped when you hit adulthood." Hope said, frowning.

"You're a living counter-example of that fact." Tobias said.

"Hey!"


	71. Part Three: Chapter Fourteen

Alex and Natalie turned up a few minutes after Tobias located the island/place in the middle of the ocean.

"So, what do we do about it?" Hope said.

Natalie had other things she was thinking about. "Where's Otto?"

"Er… he stomped off after throwing a temper tantrum." Hope shrugged. Then she grinned. "And why so concerned about Albino Boy?"

"Well, you said he was here and now he isn't. It's that simple." Natalie looked away, trying to not call attention to her blushing face.

"I smell looooooove…" Hope said happily. "Or more accurately… meepa 3!"

"Oh, gods, I thought we were over that." Alex muttered.

"We will never be over that." Hope's grin turned into more of a maniacal smile. "You know, Laura should have picked Alex so that you and Otto could get all cozy… not that you seem to need other people's permission, anyway."

"Hope Anastasia! Shut up!" Natalie turned to Alia. "We'll launch an assault tomorrow. "

"Yay! I love it when we do that." Hope giggled. "Maybe we can leave you and Otto here so you can have more kids… hmmm, maybe we should lock you in the closet together."

"Okay. A) I'm coming too. B) so is Otto. C) WE ARE NOT IN LOVE, AND IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD I SWEAR I'M GONNA DECAPITATE YOU!"

"No, you wouldn't." Hope picked at a scab on her elbow. "You'd get Alex to decapitate me."

"Okay, I'd get Alex to decapitate you, but STILL! DECAPITATION! Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine, fine." Hope turned to Alex. "You wouldn't really decapitate me, would you, Lexy?"

"Why are you calling him Lexy?" Natalie said through gritted teeth.

"Because his name is A_lex_." Hope said.

"That's the dumbest nickname I ever heard-"

"Okay, both of you, stop fighting." Otto was standing in the doorway. Natalie flushed. _How much did he hear?_ "Alex? Any change with Laura?"

"No, she's perfectly all right, just… unconscious. Her baby's fine too." Alex yawned. "Well, I'm going to go take your kids to go see Laura."

"Hey, I'll come too!" Hope said. "Come on, you three."

She winked as she left the room, leaving Natalie and Otto alone.


	72. Part Three: Chapter Fifteen

Natalie sighed. "Stupid Hope. She's always trying to get us hooked up…"

"Oh." Otto tugged on the handle. "Darn it, she locked the door."

"She's so annoying." Natalie sighed. "Don't get any ideas." She added, seeing how Otto was looking at her.

"I'm not." Otto said. "It's just… there was something you wanted to say to me. Before you got yanked away… back in the cell… you said something…"

"I love you." Natalie said. "That's what I said, okay?" She flushed and looked away.

"I thought so." Otto said. "I love you too… like a sister."

"Like a sister." Natalie sighed. "I guess that's all I can ask for, given you and Laura and the kids."

"Maybe it could have been different." Otto sighed. "But I can't help what's happened and more then you can help what you feel."

"I know." Natalie said. "Should I call Alex and ask him to let us out?"

"Sure." Otto said. "And do it fast." She noticed the strained look on his face. "I'm barely hanging on here."

"Okay." Natalie pulled out her cell phone. She bit her lip. "He won't pick up! I'll try Hope…"

Five minutes later she'd tried everyone she knew and still no answer. Otto pushed himself against the wall. "I'm gonna lose it in a second, Natalie. Knock me out before we end up with more kids, okay?"

"Okay." Natalie said. She slammed her blackbox into the top of Otto's head, and he crumpled to the floor. She let out a sigh of relief and sat down beside him.

"Hope… someday I _am _going to make good on all my ambiguous threats towards you… and then you'd better watch out…"

###

Hallie put her head down on the pillow and yawned as she buried her face in it. Ashe stroked her hair. "How are you doing?"

"Okay." Hallie muttered.

"Is something wrong?"

"Siri died." Hallie whispered. "My mom… she got hurt worse a bunch of times and she was always fine."

"Your mother was a unique person." Ashe shrugged. "We'll probably never have anyone quite like her again… unless…you want to become like her."

"Me?" Hallie asked.

"Yes. You're young enough that the enhancements would take." Ashe squeezed her arm. "Think it over."

"Okay." Hallie said. But she already knew her answer.


	73. Part Three: Chapter Sixteen

Otto woke up and saw Hope leaning over him.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." Hope smiled at him. She was wearing a red dress made out of some kind of silky fabric that he had never seen before. His heart started pounding.

_Oh, god. Why now?_

"Hope, you should go." Otto said.

"I locked the door." She sat down so close to him she was almost on his lap.

Otto had a bad feeling about this.

"I've had a crush on you ever since we met." Hope said, running her fingers through his hair. Otto wanted to run away before he lost control again, but Hope's hand was clamped around his leg and her grip was as firm as her mothers.

"Hope, that's great, but I don't want to attack you and get you pregnant, because then Laura will be even angrier with me then she is already, and things are messed up between us enough…" He frowned. "I hope she's okay…"

Hope sighed irritated. "Do you _always_ think about her?"

"Most of the time. When I'm not thinking about her, I'm jumping on someone else, so-"

"Can't you just forget about her for five minutes?" Hope leaned in so there face were almost touching. "Please."

"Get away from me!" Otto yelled. "I'm not kidding- ask Natalie, and Annicka… oh, wait, she killed herself because of what I did to her! What he made me do!"

"But Overlord is gone, Otto." Hope smiled again, and Otto saw her normally bright eyes filled with something darker. "Anything you do now is totally and completely you."

Then he lost control.

###

Natalie lay down on the bed in the middle of Nero's chambers. She was suddenly aware of a buzzing noise inside her head. She was certain it hadn't been there before. She wondered if it had to do with why they'd been captured.

"Hey, you okay?" Nero said.

"Fine." Natalie muttered, rubbing her aching skull. "I'm totally fine."

_I've got to find a way to get back. Fast._


	74. Part Three: Chapter Seventeen

Alex stared at Natalie. She'd banged open the door to the hospital wing, and she was breathing hard.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I…" She shoved her finger in her mouth. "I… cut myself."

"Natalie, that's your fake hand."

"Oh, right." She smiled nervously.

"I get it now." Alex took a step towards her. "You aren't Natalie at all."

"What do you mean? Of course I'm-"

"You're Ashe in Natalie's body." Alex snapped.

"You're talking nonsense." Natalie scoffed.

"Really." Alex said. He turned suddenly to the left. "What the heck is that?"

Natalie turned to look. Alex knocked her on the side of her head.

"That's another thing." Alex said as she crumpled to the ground. "Natalie grew up with Hope, so she never would have fallen for that…"

Laura laughed.

"Yeah- Laura!" Alex ran over and gave her a big kiss on the mouth, then jerked back, blushing. "Ooops."

"It's fine." Laura glanced around at everyone. "You lot can keep a secret, can't you?"

"No we can- Yes we can." Viktor said quickly.

Natalie sat up groggily. The others looked at her warily.

"What the heck?" She looked confused. "Where'd Nero go?"

"Ashe possessed you." Alex said. "And I'm guessing she sent you somewhere else."

"Yes…" Natalie sighed.

"She escaped, by the way. But we found out where she went."

"Wait, you did?"

"Yep. Tracker duct tape."

"And does _she_ know you did?" Natalie said, her voice becoming increasingly frantic.

"Yep." Alex said "Why- oh, crap."

"Yes." Natalie said. "We've got to get a move on. Ivan, find everyone and ship out."

"Right now?"

"Yes right now! We haven't got a second to lose!" Natalie turned to see who had spoken. "Timothy! Go and find Otto!"

Alex sighed. "I'll get ready to go."

"Out of curiously, where did Ashe send you?" Natalie said. "When you were controlled, I mean."

"Well…" Alex shrugged. "Laura and I were there… and Otto never existed… if you get my drift."

"Ah." Natalie looked slightly queasy. "I got it."


	75. Part Three: Chapter Eighteen

Natalie banged open the door and stared down at Otto and Hope.

"I cannot believe you guys. What the _heck_ do you think you're doing?"

"Having fun?" Hope said, standing up.

Natalie's fist shot out and smacked into her jaw, knocking her to the ground.

"Ow!" Hope yelled.

"HOPE ANASTASIA NERO!" Natalie yelled. "DO YOU HAVE ANY-"

"Hang on." Hope said, holding up a finger. "Why is my middle name Anastasia, if Raven and Anastasia hated each other…?" She frowned. "Were she and Nero secretly-"

"**No." ** said a mysterious disembodied voice from above. **"The author was just too lazy to find another Russian name. Now stop interrupting and go get scolded. **"

"Right." Hope said. "Continue scolding."

Natalie rubbed her head. "Oh, what's the use. It's not like you're going to listen. Just please… think about Laura and Otto. How do you think she's going to feel when she finds out you provoked him into doing this?"

"I didn't-"

"And what if you end up having a baby like I did?! Laura's not going to stand for that a second time, it'll ruin their marriage and it'll be all your fault."

"Not to mention the fact that having another you around here would be totally terrifying." Timothy added from the doorway.

"Yes- thank you!" Natalie said, nodding emphatically.

"So… what, don't tell Laura? I can do that."

"Why, Hope?" Otto said. He sounded upset.

"I like you!" Hope said.

"So do I, but I try to avoid making Overlord making him go all crazy." Natalie snapped.

"And… I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that." Timothy said, edging backwards. "As a matter of fact, I'm just going to leave right now-"

"No, stay." Natalie snapped. "I want you to stay with Hope and make sure she and Otto stay far away from each other."

"O… kay." Timothy said.

"Do you two understand?" Natalie glared at both of them.

"Yes." Hope muttered.


	76. Part Three: Chapter Nineteen

"No!" Alex yelled. He stood on the loading ramp of the Shroud Natalie and the others were taking to Ashe's base, his arms crossed. Laura stood in front of him, her expression pleading. Clinging to her were Angelique, Max, Ivan, Viktor, Tobias and Alia.

"What is going on?" Natalie snapped, glaring at all of them.

"She's being an idiot." Alex snarled.

"That's not very nice." Otto rubbed Laura's shoulder.

"I am not being an idiot! I just want to come!" Laura said.

"Sorry, Brand." Natalie pulled off her heels and yanked on a pair of combat boots. "You're going to have to sit this one out."

"What? Why?"

"Baby." Natalie said. "It's too dangerous for you. You shouldn't strain yourself, especially if you've just spent the day in the hospital after passing out."

"But Ashe killed James!" Laura yelled.

"Why can't she come?" Timothy said. "She can even bring the kids, if she wants. She'll just stay in the Shroud."

"Okay, fine." Natalie glanced at Laura. "Are you okay with that?"

"I guess…" Laura sighed. "And I can save your butts if everything goes horribly wrong, right?"

"No. No butt-saving, unless I tell you to." Natalie ordered.

"But if you were captured-"

"Stop quibbling." Natalie scowled. "Get on board."

Otto laughed.

"What?" Natalie said icily.

"You're acting just like your mom, that's all." Otto said.

"Not exactly." Timothy said. "I'm pretty sure she wouldn't say-"

"Okay, that's enough." Natalie turned around from the door to the Shroud. "Let's go- ALEX!"

"What?" Alex said.

"You do look guilty." Otto said.

"I thought she might be able to help us find our way around Ashe's quarters." Alex said, shrugging. Sepia flushed as she looked over Natalie's shoulder, her eyes darting away from Alex's. Natalie sighed.

"Alright, but no funny business." Natalie turned to Laura. "That includes you and Otto, by the way."

"We'll be really professional and stuff." Laura promised. Alex nodded.

"You better…" Natalie said. "Or else…" She left the threat unfinished as she climbed the loading ramp.

"Just like Raven." Otto muttered as he followed her.


	77. Part Three: Chapter Twenty

Hallie stood in front of Viktor, her heart racing. She was nervous, terrified, but something inside her held her firmly rooted to her spot.

"I need to take a blood sample." He said quietly. "Hold out your arm."

She did so, and felt the sharp prick of a needle. Viktor let her blood fall into a small vial, then headed over towards a computer.

"Just sit for a few minutes, okay?"

Hallie sat down in a chair pushed up against the wall. The hard plastic back dug into her back, making it impossible to be comfortable.

_What am I doing?_

She wanted to be like her mother… she wanted to be strong and smart and beautiful. But she didn't want to be some lab rat in Viktor's experiment.

"Are you okay?" Ashe said. Hallie jumped. She hadn't noticed her enter. She shrugged in response.

"Having second thoughts? You can always choose not to go along with it." Ashe said gently. "It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does." Hallie said. "And I'm going to do it."

"Right." Viktor was rummaging through a drawer. "You've already got some of it from your mother, so you don't need very much. I need you to lie down, okay?"

"Lie down?" Hallie echoed.

"Yes." Viktor said. "On the table there."

Hallie followed his instructions.

"I wish I could say that this wasn't going to hurt." Viktor said. "But since you want me to do it all at once, this is going to cause you pain. Quite a bit. Just try to stay still, okay?"

Hallie nodded. She was shaking now, which was annoying. And embarrassing. She closed her eyes and tried to suppress the shivers.

"Can't you give her something for the pain?" Ashe asked.

"It could be dangerous if it got combined with what I'm about to give her." Viktor said. "She's just going to have to tough it out, I'm afraid."

Hallie gritted her teeth. _Can we just get it over with, please_?

"Okay..." Ashe sighed. "But be careful. She's just a child."

_Not for much longer…_


	78. Part Three: Chapter Twenty One

Laura buried her face in Otto's shoulder. He looked at her with alarm. "You okay?"

"Yeah… just dizzy." Laura sat up and rubbed her eyes. "And tired."

"You can sleep on me if you want." Otto said. He put his arms around her and pulled her so close she was practically on his lap. Laura sighed and pressed herself into him.

Natalie sighed. She was standing in the doorway between the cockpit and the passenger compartment, glaring at everyone who looked at her. "Great. An attack team of lovebirds."

"Hey, if Mark was here-" Alex began.

"But he's not." Natalie snarled. "Mark is dead. I don't have anyone to be all lovey-dovey with. Besides," she crossed her arms. "I never was in the first place."

"You got pregnant, didn't you?" Alex said.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I like public displays of affection-"

"NO ARGUING!" Hope yelled, positioning herself between her bickering older siblings.

"We're not arguing." Alex said.

"Yeah, we're just practicing being lawyers." Natalie said sarcastically.

"Isn't all lawyers do argue?" Hope said.

"We're going on a suicide death quest." Anastasia said. "We might as well work as a team."

"Yay! Team suicide death quest!" Hope jumped and down.

"Hang on…" Natalie rubbed her forehead. "When did you show up?"

"I've been here the whole time." Anastasia said. "You lot just don't pay attention."

"Who invited her?" Natalie said, glaring around at everyone.

"I invited myself." Anastasia said. "I have more experience than anyone here, I might as well come along."

"Okay, okay, fine." Natalie sighed. "Any more stowaways want to declare themselves?"

"Nope!" Hope said.

"I wasn't talking to you." Natalie sighed and walked into the cockpit, shutting the door behind her.

"She's real cheerful." Hope muttered, looking hurt.

"Suicide death quests do that to you." Anastasia said with a shrug.


	79. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Two

"Hey, I have a question." Alex said. "What was up with the whole Ashe-Pietor thing? Why did they pretend to be in love?

"They weren't pretending." Anastasia said.

"What? But they were brother and sister-"

"Nope." Anastasia said. "Only Ashe and I are actually related. We made up that lie because it made everything easier. Timothy and Aydette really were their children. And Pietor did work for someone else and was asked to get closer to her… but he didn't work for me."

"Who, then?" Hope said. She was struggling to follow the conversation, partially because she'd missed out on most of the Ashe-Pietor stuff, but mostly because she was simultaneously drawing a unicorn on the wall in Sharpie.

"Viktor." Anastasia said. "I was also under his orders, but the two of us didn't meet until he met Ashe. Then a few years later… he had an affair with me… and Shrader was born." She sighed. "Ashe got so mad…"

"Why did she pretend to be so injured?" Otto said.

"She was damaged by Overlord." Anastasia said. "For a long time. But Viktor 'fixed' her a couple years ago… and now she's evil again."

"Okay." Alex said. "Hope… why are you drawing an otter on the wall?"

"It's not an otter!"

"Yeah, Alex." Laura said, looking up sleepily. "It's obviously a shark."

"No, it's not a-"

"See, it's got a fin right there." Laura pointed to the unicorn's horn.

"That's the fish the otter is eating, obviously." Alex sniffed.

"No, that's a-"

"IT'S A UNICORN, AND WHEN I BECOME A WORLD-FAMOUS ARTIST I AM GOING TO PUBLICLY SHUN BOTH OF YOU!" Hope dived towards Alex with her Sharpie. "You wanna mustache? Huh? Huh?"

"No!" Alex spluttered.

"MUSTACHE!" yelled Ivan, Viktor, Max, Alia, Tobias and Angelique.

"Majority rules…" Hope started laughing evilly. "You want a curly one- or a straight one… hmm, I think…. Curly!"

"ACK! NO- STOP IT THAT TICKLES! HOOOOOOOOOPE!"


	80. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Three

_Her mother was pushing her back and forth on a swing. She looked down but couldn't see anything except darkness. _

"_Where are we?" Hallie asked. "What's going on?"_

"_What are you doing to yourself?" her mother demanded. "Why are you trying to be like me?"_

"_Because… because…" Hallie felt tears spring to her eyes. She thought her mother would be proud of her decision… but she seemed so angry…_

_Her mother picked her up and smiled at her. She was crying too._

"_You don't _want_ to be like me."_

Hallie's eyes fluttered open. She saw Ashe leaning over her. She looked concerned.

"You passed out." Ashe said. "The pain was too much for you… how do you feel?"

Hallie sat up. She didn't feel like she had super-human powers anymore, but there was a sort of buzzing in her head that hadn't been there before. And there was a dull ache, too, like she'd just gotten a shot only all over her body.

"Okay." She said.

"Good." Ashe smiled at her. "You should probably stay here for a little while. Rest. Save your strength."

"Save it for what?"

"Your family is coming for me." Ashe said.

"They are?" She felt a little nervous. "So… what's going to happen?"

"We're going to defeat them. We have a secret weapon."

"Me?"

"No, not you, silly." Ashe ruffled her hair. "Although… actually… with a bit of training you could be one too, easy."

"Thanks." Hallie said. She giggled a little, then became serious. "So what is the secret weapon?"

"One of them is on our side." Ashe said.

"A traitor? Like me?" She'd never used that word to describe herself before and for a moment she felt a little bad about what she'd done. But she banished the feeling.

"Yep." Ashe said. "You'll never guess who…"

"Tell me!"

Ashe leaned in and whispered in her ear. Hallie's eyes got big. "Them?"

"Yep." Ashe smiled. "It'll be our little secret…"


	81. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Four

Laura yawned sleepily. Otto kissed her cheek. "How're you doing?"

"Fine." Laura said. She rubbed her eyes. "Are we there yet?"

"A few more hours." said Tobias.

"Right, thanks." Laura buried her head in Otto's shoulder. "I'm going back to sleep-"

"Oh, come on." Otto said. "Can't we?"

"Natalie said no." Laura said. "Pretty firmly."

"We could find a place where Natalie wouldn't find us-"

"I SAID NO FOOLING AROUND." Natalie said loudly.

"Ack!" Otto spluttered. "When did you show up?"

"I've been here the whole time." Natalie leaned in so she was right in his face. "And trust me- _there is no where you can hide from me._"

Otto sighed. "Okay, okay. You can back off now."

"I am backed off." Natalie said. She frowned. "I mean… I'm backing off… _oh, forget it._"

She sat down next to Sepia. "Do you like Alex?"

"Alex?" Sepia glanced away. "Oh, um…"

"He's kind of… Alex." Natalie said.

Whatever that meant.

"I mean, I guess he's cute enough." Sepia muttered. "But…. I don't think much of his attitude."

"He's dangerous." Natalie said. "But he can be nice when he wants to be…"

"Which is… " Sepia said, raising an eyebrow.

"Just about never."

Sepia laughed.

"But if you go out with him…"

"Which will keep me out of jail." Sepia said quietly.

"You'll wind up with a mess of kids." Natalie said. "Maybe it won't be on purpose… but it'll happen."

"That's fine." Sepia said. "I can handle that. I can handle just about anything if he looks after me."

"He'll look after you." Natalie said. "He's good at that."

"Who's good at what?" Alex said.

"And why are you two conversing in hushed tones?" Hope asked. "And why is Sepia blushing?"

"Hope, do you have to be in _everyone's _conversation at once?" Natalie snapped.

"Just the interesting ones." Hope shrugged.

"I'm plenty interesting, apparently…"

"Shut up, Otto. We weren't even talking about you."

"Well, you should be."


	82. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Five

"Fine." Natalie said. "You are really annoying, you drive me crazy and I wish you would shut up/go away."

"Well, that was nice." Otto huffed.

"You wanted me to be more like Raven-"

"I said you WERE like Raven, I didn't say that I LIKED it." Otto muttered.

"I'm pretty sure Raven would swear more." Alex said.

"Shut up, or I'm going to lock you in the closet." Natalie threatened.

"Why is there a closet on a giant airship?" Anastasia muttered.

"For locking people in." Hope said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah." Alex grinned. "Lock Sepia or Laura in with me, and I'll be fine. Better then fine, actually." Alex punched Laura in the shoulder. She looked up.

"What?"

"Natalie's locking us in the closet." Alex said.

"What?! No!" Natalie spluttered. "It was a joke-"

"Hang on, if anyone's getting locked in the closet with Laura, it's me!" Otto objected loudly.

"NO ONE is locking-" Natalie started, but Hope cut her off.

"What our _dear_ headmistress means to say is that SHE wants to be locked in the closet with Otto." Hope smirked.

"WHY YOU-"

"Fine, fine." Hope held Natalie at bay with one hand, looking very pleased with herself. "I shall take your place."

"I'll go with you." Timothy said.

"I believe we are going to need several closets." Tobias said.

"WE DON'T NEED A CLOSET, BECAUSE-"

"Maybe we can put a door in the closets." Angelique suggested. "So Laura and Otto can switch."

"NO ONE IS PUTTING ANY DOORS IN ANY CLOSETS, BECAUSE THERE ARE NO CLO-"

"No way! Laura's with me. We're the only _married_ couple here." Otto said defensively.

Laura had lost interest and was sleeping again. Alex patted her head. She yawned.

"See, she likes me!" Alex said with mock pride.

"Don't _pet_ her, that's creepy." Hope muttered.

"EVERYONE, SHUT UP RIGHT NOW OR I SWARE THE NEXT PERSON WHO MAKES A CLOSET COMMENT IS GETTING THEIR HEART RIPPED OUT AND FED TO SHELBY'S CAT!"

No one was brave enough to say anything after _that_ declaration.

Natalie took a deep breath. "We're here."


	83. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Six

Natalie pulled on her helmet. Around her, the others did the same.

"Does the comm. system work?" Alex asked in her earpiece

"Obviously… since you're talking to me." Natalie said. "Hope?"

"This is pinching!" Hope yelled. "And this suit is itchy-"

"Otto?"

"Here."

"Anastasia?"

"She's not kidding about it being itchy. This is really annoying-"

"Timothy?"

"Present and accounted for."

"Sepia?"

"Check six."

"Have I forgotten anyone?" Natalie asked.

"Nope." Alex said.

"Then let's go." She pressed the button to lower the loading ramp. Carefully, she walked to the edge and jumped.

"The suits'll stop us form being pancakes, right?" Hope said, sounding terrified.

"Mmm… Hope pancakes!" Otto teased.

"No pancakes." Alex confirmed.

"Supposedly." Otto added.

"OTTO!"

"MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE UNLESS IT IS IMPORTANT!" Natalie yelled.

"What does that mean?" Hope said, sounding annoyed.

"SHUT UP!"

###

Hallie leaned up onto her tiptoes to see the control screen better.

"They're coming." Ashe said.

"So what do we do, then?" Hallie asked.

"We wait for them." Viktor said. "And then we trap them."

Ashe smiled. "Game over…"

"And then they'll all die?" Hallie asked.

"The ones we don't need, yes." Ashe said. "If you want to kill them, they're all yours."

Hallie blinked. She didn't want to kill them… especially not Hope and Alex and Natalie. They were her brother and sisters. And Laura had taken care of her after her mother had died. She didn't want to hurt her.

But the others she didn't care much about. And she needed practice if she was going to be like her mother, didn't she?

_You don't want to be like me._

But that was ridiculous. Her mum had everything- she was pretty, she was an amazing fighter, she had a family and a guy that loved her. Hallie had never seen Raven upset, or seen her cry. So she must have a great life, right?

_Or maybe she was just really good at hiding being sad._

She pushed that thought out of her head. "Yeah, all right. I'll do it."s


	84. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Seven

"Oh, we're singing…. Singing this song… and the song is awesome…" Angelique wailed off-key.

"Oh, shut _up_." Alia snapped.

"Lia…" Laura chastised. "That's not very nice."

"Mum, she's driving me NUTS!" Alia yelled.

"You don't need to be so rude." Laura said.

"You _are_ being rather snippy-" Tobias added. Alia glared at him. He had a stupid snide expression on his face and it made her MAD. She aimed a punch at him but her mother pulled her back.

"Stop it!" Laura snapped.

"But mum-"

"Alia Grace! I'm not kidding!"

Alia stomped off into the cockpit. She climbed into the copilot's seat and propped her feet up on the control board. Stupid Laura. She didn't have siblings. She didn't understand how _stupid_ they were.

"I wish they would all go _away_!" she yelled aloud.

A second later, she heard a scream. She jumped up just as the door to the cockpit slid shut. She tugged on it, but it refused to open.

"What's going on?" she wailed.

###

Viktor cupped Laura's chin in his hands. Laura was shaking- not with fear, he realized, but with anger.

"What's wrong?" he asked her. "Scared?"

"You helped Ashe." Laura hissed. "And Ashe killed James. And Gwen."

"Oh, so you're still pining for you lost little ones?" Viktor smiled. "That's helpful to know." He looked her up and down. Curly red hair, emerald green eyes, hourglass figure… "You're pretty, you know that?"

"Yeah." Laura said. Now she was just trying to be brave- there was real fear in her eyes.

"Maybe I'll keep you alive after your friends are dead." Viktor smiled cruelly. "As a plaything. That's better then being dead, isn't it?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'd rather be dead." Laura snarled.

"Not only is she pretty, she's spunky." Viktor said to himself.

"Otto'll kill you if you touch me." Laura's voice was shaking again. "So will Alex. And Alex knows lots of fun ways to kill people."

"I'm not afraid of my grandson." Viktor laughed. "I sound old when I say that, don't I? I suppose I am old."

"And I suppose you should leave me the heck alone." Laura growled.

"You remind me of Aliya when you say that." Viktor said.

"Alia?" Laura said. "Alia's my daughter. What does she have to do with you?"

"No, Aliya." Viktor snapped. "Raven's mother."

"Oh." Laura smiled her sweetest smile. "So… can you let us go?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear." Viktor smiled back at her, only his was cold and cruel. "The only place you're going is with me."

Laura shivered.


	85. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Eight

Alia sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. A loud beeping noise made her stand up and look around. It was coming from the dashboard. A red light was flashing. She looked at the monitor next it.

SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED. 5:30… 5:29… 5:28…

Alia tugged on the door even harder._ Where had the pilot gone?_

"Having trouble?"

She turned and saw Ivan.

"What are you in here?" Alia said. "Never mind- we have to get Mum and the others out of here. It's going to explode!"

"I know that." Ivan said. "Try the door again."

She tugged at the handle, and this time it swung open. Viktor and Max were on the other side, grinning at her.

"Where's Mum?" Alia asked.

"Some weird guy took her away." Ivan said.

"He was strange, so we hid from him." Max added.

"Can we go?!" Alia said.

"Sure." Viktor opened the loading ramp. "Want to jump seventy feet and break our necks?"

"Arg!" Alia yelled with frustration. She bit her lip. _Think, Malpense._ It came to her. "The suits the others were wearing! They must have had spares. Ivan, Max, go down to the cargo hold and get four."

The two dashed off. They were back in a few minutes. Alia climbed into her suit. It was about three times her size, but it would do. She switched it on. "Ready to go?"

"Um…" Max looked like he was drowning in the fabric. "Can we all squish into one suit? We're only four… I think we'll all fit."

"Okay." Alia said. "I'm gonna jump." She crept to the front of the ramp, then jumped before she could think about it.

She wished she had thought to put on the helmet. Her face felt like it was peeling off from the gravity. She tried to land on her feet, which turned out to be a mistake. She cried out as her ankle gave out under her weight. Max, Ivan and Viktor crashed to the ground next to her.

"Good thing all this white stuff is here." Ivan poked it with his fingers. "What is it, anyway?"

"It's snow, frozen rain." Alia said.

"Rain can freeze?"

"Yes. The whole world isn't in a volcano, it has weather and stuff." Alia looked around. "Unfortunately, weather can kill you. We need to find shelter."

"Shelter!" Max pointed out a blurry shape in the distance."

"That could be anything." Alia sighed. "But it's our best bet. Let's go."

They made it to the blurry shape a few minutes later. Alia's hair had little frozen chunks of ice in it, making it sparkle. The shape was a building. A house. Alia pushed the door open. It was slightly warmer inside. Alia looked around. It looked like it hadn't been used in a long time, but was clean. She found packets of instant hot cocoa in one of the cabinets and started making some.

They could stay here for a while… but somehow they had to get help. Alia sighed. She wished she could have convinced her mom to give her a Blackbox, but apparently she wasn't responsible enough-

"Alia!" she heard one of the triplets call. "Look at this!"


	86. Part Three: Chapter Twenty Nine

Alia climbed the stairs to the second floor cautiously. This part of the house did not seem to be as well-kept as the downstairs. There was a large bed in one corner with a crib next to it. The only other furnishings were a desk in the corner with a chair, the kind that spun, sitting in front of it.

Ivan was sitting in the chair. "There's a bunch of articles here." He said. He passed the faded, yellowed pages to her. She looked them over.

"They're in Russian." Alia said.

"Yeah, I know." Ivan said. "All I know are swear words, unfortunately."

Alia laughed. "So… why'd you want to show this to me?"

"Because all this was written by the same person." Ivan said.

Max popped out of nowhere. "I found the bathroom!"

"That's…. great." Alia muttered.

"Yeah…" Viktor said. "You want to know something weird? All the lights and plumbing work."

"So?" Alia said. "There must be a generator here, or something."

"Yeah… but why would it be working? This place hasn't been here in a long time." Max said.

"I don't know." Alia admitted. "Maybe… whoever was here last left it on by mistake?"

"You know something else weird?" Ivan said. "Nothing here is dusty. And the bed's slept in."

"What, so you think someone's here?" Alia asked.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah." Ivan said. He opened another desk drawer. "Hey, pictures!"

They all crowded around. The images were faded and old. Ivan got very quiet as soon as he saw them.

"That's my mom." He said quietly.

"It is?" Alia squinted at the picture. "She's like, three."

"Yeah." Max said. "Then that would be Sirius." He pointed to the little boy next to him.

"And that's Argentum…" Viktor pointed to the man holding him. "Or Viktor, or whatever his name is."

"So… is the woman next to him Raven's mom, then?" Alia squinted at the picture. "God, she's like sixteen or something…"

"So who's that?" Ivan pointed to the baby in Raven's mother's arms.

"I dunno." Max said. "No one ever said anything about another kid. Or maybe she just died when she was very little, so they don't talk about her."

"That would make sense." Alia shrugged. "Then again, they could just not talk about her because Raven isn't very talkative."

"About that sort of stuff, anyway." Max added.

"Yes." Alia sighed. "I'm hungry." She started to move away from the desk. "I wonder if Mysterious Person has any good snacks…"

BANG!

Alia crashed into someone, sending her sprawling onto the floor. She looked up and saw a woman, in her mid thirties with dark hair twisted into a knot on her head. Her eyes were silvery and narrowed familiarly.

"Who the heck are you?" she snarled.


	87. Part Three: Chapter Thirty

Alia stared up at the woman. "Um… Alia Malpense." She blurted.

"Curious name." The woman grabbed a lock of Alia's hair. "Your hair is a curious color, too."

"I'm special." Alia noticed a boy standing next to the woman. A man was behind him, his hand on the boy's shoulder. They were both very good looking with dark hair. The boy had brown eyes, and the man had green.

"Why are you here?"  
"Because our ship exploded." Ivan wriggled past the two to stand next to Alia. "And in case you didn't notice, you live in the arctic."

"Russia." The woman corrected. "Don't you know where you are?"

"Well, my mum didn't bother to tell us." Alia shrugged. "We're on a secret mission, see."

"Ah." The boy grabbed her hand and helped her up. "I'm Evan. How old are you?"

"Eight." Alia said.

"You have a year on me, then." He smiled.

"Who's that guy?" Viktor asked, popping out of nowhere.

"And why does your soap smell like oatmeal?" Max asked.

"That's my half-brother, Ian." Even said.

"I have a bother- I mean a brother." Alia blurted. "A twin brother. Only I think he and my mom and my sister are in trouble. Can you help us find them?"

The woman frowned. "Well, I haven't got anything else to do…"

"Have we met before?" Alia asked. "I know you from somewhere."

"Alia, she's-" Ivan started.

"Seriously, what is _wrong _with that soap?" Max butted in.

"There is nothing wrong with the soap." The woman looked to Alia. "And no, we haven't met."

"But who are you?" Alia asked.

"My name is Thea." The woman said. "Thea Serov."

###

Natalie landed. She looked around, then spoke into her helmet. "Everyone okay?"

In response, she got a chorus of 'yes's. She glanced around. Snow was everywhere, but she couldn't feel the cold through her suit. She was a few feet from a ginormous wall made of gray stone. Behind it was a mass of building made from the same material. It looked sort of like a castle.

Anastasia laughed. "So she dared to take back my throne, huh?"

"You had a throne?" Hope asked. "I want a throne! Or at least a pink chair. Or maybe a bean bag, that would be cool-"

"Shut up." Anastasia snapped. "I was speaking metaphorically- I never had a throne. But I used to live here."

"Oh." Hope surveyed the castle-like structure with astonishment. "Geez…. Your house is cool."

"It wasn't exactly my house…" Anastasia shrugged. "But that doesn't matter."

"Can we go inside now?" Alex sounded bored.

"We have to be stealthy." Natalie frowned. "I'd planned for us to land _inside _the wall… I must have messed up the co-ordinates. Ah, well. It doesn't really matter." Natalie looked up and down the wall. "Come on. We need to find a way to get inside."

Natalie couldn't see it inside her helmet, but Anastasia was smiling. _And that is where you will all die…_


	88. Part Four: Prologue

**Part Four**

_Aliya rubbed her head as she glared at Anastasia. "Really? Do you always open doors that way?"_

"_Generally no." Anastasia admitted. She grinned. "I guess you're special."_

_Aliya smiled back for a moment, then darted a glance over her shoulder._

"_Is something wrong?" Anastasia asked. _

_Aliya said nothing._

"_Did he hurt you again?" Anastasia crossed her arms. "Honestly, you have to leave him, Ally! What are you getting out of this relationship, again? Oh, that's right. Nothing."_

"_That's not true." Aliya said in a tremulous voice. "I have a place to stay-"_

"_Listen, I don't know half of what goes on in your life and _I _know it's not good." Anastasia snapped._

"_I'm trying!" Aliya yelled. "That's where I'm going right now-"_

"_No. You're going to go and find Max. And Max is not going to help you get away from Viktor. He's bad news, Aliya! He's got some sort of connection to that G.L.O.B.E. or whatever it is-"_

"_What does that have to do with anything?" Aliya snapped._

"_Uh… let's think… they're trying to kill Viktor?! And Natalya and Sirius and Thea-"_

"_They won't destroy our family for something one person did!"_

"_Yeah, they would!" Anastasia sighed. "Fine. Go ahead and keep your delusions. But Max isn't going to save you, Ally. Don't count on him."_

"_I'm not counting on him, I'm counting on myself." Aliya retorted. "Because I know I can trust myself."_

"_Lucky you." Anastasia muttered bitterly._

"_And if you're right-"_

"_I am right!"_

"_It's your job to look after my family, okay? Especially Natalya. Viktor… he's done something to her…" Aliya bit her lip. "Look, just take care of them, okay?"_

"_Me?" Anastasia frowned. "But I have to train the other kids at the Glasshouse-"_

"_Then take them to the Glasshouse! It really isn't that complicated, Anastasia. All you have to do is keep them alive!"_

"_But if I show them special treatment-"_

"_Keep them a secret! Or treat them like the others!" Aliya grabbed Anastasia's shoulders. "You're my best friend. I need you to do this for me!"_

"_Sorry." Anastasia wrenched away from her. "My life is so messed up, I can't promise anything right now." _

_As she walked away, not looking back, she already regretted her decision. She only regretted it more when she learned that Aliya was assassinated that evening…_


	89. Part Four: Chapter One

Laura opened her eyes.

She was lying on a couch in an unfamiliar room. Her body felt like it was burning up. Viktor was sitting at a table nearby, and Angelique was pressed up against her.

"Mum?" Angelique sounded really scared. "Are you okay, Mum?"

"Yeah." Laura sat up. She couldn't remember what she'd been dreaming about… something nice with Otto involved. "Where's your brother?"

"I dunno." Angelique said. "I woke up a little earlier."

"Ah, you're awake." Viktor turned to her. "What's your name?"

"Laura Malpense." Laura said.

"You're married to Otto Malpense, then?" Viktor said.

"Yep." Laura muttered.

"And your baby is due when?"

"Four months." Laura said. "Why am I… here, and not in a cell?"

"You aren't a prisoner." Viktor said. "You're a guest."

"Oh." Laura looked around. "So… do you have any other… new prisoners, or anything?"

"You can stop pretending." Viktor said. "We know that your friends are here."

"Oh." Laura looked at her hands, then brightened up. "But you haven't captured them yet?"

"Not yet." Viktor laughed. "Don't worry. It'll happen…"

###

"I know how to get in." Anastasia said. She lead the others around the wall until they reached a patch were the stone was slightly lighter than the rest of it. She touched it, and a keypad appeared.

"Won't Ashe have changed the password?" Timothy asked.

"She never knew about this entrance." Anastasia said.

"Good." Natalie said.

"Um, what are we doing here, anyway?" Hope asked as they trooped through the door. "There's not enough of us to defeat Ashe-"

"We're going to just weaken her defenses as much as possible." Natalie explained. "Then we'll call in all the guards from H.I.V.E. and… well, we won't have to worry about Ashe anymore."

"If nothing goes horribly terribly wrong like it has on every single one of these missions." Hope added.

Natalie glared at her. "Thanks, Hope…"


	90. Part Four: Chapter Two

Laura looked up and saw Hallie enter. But she didn't look like Hallie. Her eyes were colder and they seemed to have lost their pupils.

"Hi." Angelique shrank back, hiding behind her mother.

"Hello." Hallie said.

"She will watch over you while I work." Viktor stood up. "Don't try to escape, or the consequences will be… severe." His eyes lingered over Laura's stomach. "Be good, now." Then he was gone.

###

_Aliya closed the door and set Natalya down. "There, okay?"_

"_Okay." Natalya curled up on the pillow, closing her eyes. Aliya sat down next to her and examined her arms, which were covered in bruises. _

"_He hit you again, didn't he?"_

_Aliya turned and saw Max's familiar figure. "What? How did you get in here?"_

"_The door." Max sat down next to her. "How old are you, Aliya? Seventeen?"_

"_Twenty." Aliya muttered. "But I don't see what that has to do with anything."_

"_Viktor's ten years older than you."_

"_It doesn't matter." Aliya looked at him for the first time. Then she put one arm around his waist. Max looked unsettled but didn't move away. "I'm only with him because of Natalya and Sirius and Thea."_

"_You shouldn't." He reached out to touch the long cut down her cheek, then drew his hand away. "Every time I see you, you're hurt. You should leave."_

"_Maybe I would." She gave him a shy smile. "If you would leave with me."_

"_I-I-"_

_She leaned in and kissed him. _

_Max jerked away from her. "What are you doing?!"_

"_I- I love you." Aliya looked away. "I… I thought…" She swiped a hand across her eyes. "Never mind."_

"_I'm sorry." Max stood up. "That's not how I feel."_

"_Max!"_

_Natalya stood up and rushed towards him, throwing her arms around him. Max picked him up and swung her around. Natalya giggled and shrieked with delight. _

"_She… you… her…" Aliya stood up and threw open the door. "Get out!"_

"_Aliya, I'm sorry-"_

"_I SAID GET OUT!" Her eyes flashed, and Max saw something he'd never seen before in her eyes. Something that terrified him. He set down Natalya and left._

Time to call in the others…


	91. Part Four: Chapter Three

Hope poked Anastasia. "Hey, you with us? You look a million miles away."

"No, I'm right here." Anastasia snapped.

They continued into a maze of corridors. Natalie sighed. "I hope we don't get lost…" She pulled off her helmet. Hope did the same.

"That was getting stuffy." She said.

Sepia copied their actions. "I know the way. I've been here before."

"Really?" Anastasia said.

"Yeah. My dad took me here when I was a kid. Kat and I used to play tag here." Sepia started off. "It's this way."

"You sure?" Alex said. "I don't want to get lost here… if anyone finds us it would suck."

"Yep." Anastasia said. "That's the way we go."

They all followed Sepia and Anastasia, occasionally turning from the path. A while later they came to a door.

Alex pushed it opened and they emerged into the courtyard. Snow was falling around them.

"Hold it." Natalie said. "Let's leave the helmets here- we'll look less out of place."

"All righty then." Hope plunked hers down and kicked it away. "Stupid, icky-"

"That's enough." Alex slipped his hand in Sepia's. "We've got to keep going."

"I'm going to call Laura really quick." Otto pulled out his blackbox and held it to his ear. He frowned. "She's not picking up."

"She could be busy… maybe something happened with the kids." Natalie said.

"No." Otto said. "She's in trouble, I know it."

"Otto, we can worry about it later." Natalie said. "Right now, we have to complete our mission-"

"Easy to say so, your family isn't in danger!" Otto snapped. "And Laura was sick a few days ago. If she has to strain herself to protect the others… she could go into labor… and there's no one around here to help her! She could die… the baby could die-"

"And the world could be destroyed by a meteorite." Natalie said. "_Could_. Laura'll be fine, Otto. She's a strong girl."

"But-"

"Otto." Hope put her hand on Otto's shoulder. "She's right. Don't stress about it. It's probably nothing."

"She's got part of me inside of her!" Otto yelled. "I have to look after her!"

He turned and started back in the opposite direction. Anastasia grabbed his arm. "No. You aren't going anywhere. This is more important than one woman."

"Nothing is more important then Laura!" Otto yelled. He jerked away from Anastasia and started running.


	92. Part Four: Chapter Four

"Otto, stop!"

Natalie's tone was so commanding that he froze.

"You're going to stay with us." She said forcefully. "Think about it. If Laura's been captured, and I mean _if_, what's going to help her more, one man's random suicide quest or an organized strike team that has a plan?"

"Well, you know going off popular literature and movies-" Hope started, but Natalie silenced her with a look.

"Um, a plan?" Otto said.

"Yes." Natalie said. "Furthermore, whoever took Laura- again, if she's captured- they probably had a reason to. And the only one I can think of is to use her as bait to find you. You'd be playing straight into their hands."

"Dude, are you in training to be a lawyer?" Sepia asked.

"I grew up with siblings." Natalie said. "That unfortunately liked to tattle on me… so I always had to make my parents think that I was right."

"Okay, I'll stay with you guys." Otto said.

"Right." Natalie grabbed his arm and started pulling him outside. "And we'll find Laura and everyone will be happy. And we can have a party, okay?"

"A pity party?" Hope asked. "Cuz I'm good at those-"

"Trust me, we know." Natalie sighed. "Now let's go."

###

Laura touched her forehead. As she'd suspected, it was burning hot. She curled up around Angelique. Whatever sickness she'd had before had returned with a vengeance. She rubbed her stomach. She felt uneasy, like something bad was about to happen.

"Mum? You okay?" Angelique said with worry.

"No." Laura turned to Hallie. "I really don't feel all right. Is there a doctor here?"

"Nice try." Hallie snickered. "But you won't escape that way."

"No, I really am sick!" Laura protested.

"Stop lying to me." Hallie drew a long knife from her belt. "Or I'll kill your daughter."

Laura started coughing. Hard.

"That's very convincing." Hallie said. "You should have been an actress instead of marrying Otto."

Laura collapsed against the back of the couch, trying to stay conscious. "Angelique, if you get a chance, get out of here." She whispered.

"Okay…" Angelique said. "But why, Mama… Mama?!


	93. Part Four: Chapter Five

Angelique shook her mother's shoulder. She did not move. She started to cry. She was tired and alone in a strange place, and she was scared.

Hallie turned towards her. "Oh, honestly."

"It's Mum!" Angelique yelled.

"Why should I care about your mother?" Hallie sneered.

"Because your mother died!" Angelique snarled.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Hallie laughed. "She died because she was weak."

"What, you don't feel anything?" Angelique said shocked.

"I am above such emotions." Hallie said coolly.

"I was there when you were born." Angelique said quietly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hallie said with contempt.

"I saw your mom… she was so worried about you. She was badly hurt, too… but all she cared about was you." Angelique said.

"So- why should I-"

"And you don't feel anything at all for her?!" Angelique stood up. "You're pathetic!"

"But you're mom's just faking-"

"No, she's unconscious and she's practically burning up." Angelique snarled. "Take her to the doctor already! I don't care if you have to chain me to the wall, just do it!"

"Alright!" Hallie spluttered. "Stay here, okay? I'm calling Viktor!"

As she opened the door, Angelique grabbed her mom's hand. _Please be all right…_

Laura stirred slightly and opened her eyes. "O…tto…?"

"Sorry, he's not here." Angelique stood up. _If I can just find some water…_

She grabbed a glass from the small kitchen and filled it from the sink. She rushed back to her mom. Laura was unconscious again. She shook her shoulder. "Mom, wake up!"

Laura's eyes fluttered open. Angelique tipped some water into her mouth. "Come on, mom! Just hang in here until the doctor gets here."

"I'm okay…" Laura whispered.

"No, Mum. Just stay here and drink some water." Angelique kissed her forehead.

"I… I think…" Laura made a face. "I just wanna sleep…" she mumbled, then closed her eyes again.

"No!" Angelique shook her. "Come _on_!"

Viktor came back in, followed by a man she didn't know. "Get out of here, little girl."

"But she's my mother-"

He shoved her towards the door. "I said go!"

She could do nothing but follow Hallie out of the room, away from her mother…


	94. Part Four: Chapter Six

"But everyone calls me Sparrow." Thea shrugged. She was wearing white from head to toe.

"Sparrow?" Ivan wrinkled his nose. "Why?"

"Because my dad is weird." Sparrow sighed.

"And why do you wear all white?" Max asked.

"I-" There was a sudden beeping noise. Sparrow pulled a cell phone from her pocket. "Hello?"

"I need you to get over here." snapped Viktor's voice. "There's a girl here, and she's hurt."

"Great." Sparrow sighed. "I just left!"

"She's dying."

"And what's her importance?"

"She's cute."

Sparrow sighed. _Great. I'm going to save hIer live and sentence her to a fate worse than death. _

Out loud, she said "Be right there."

"Oh, and we have intruders. If you see them-"

"You know I can't fight!" Her chest tightened. "I could get cut-"

"Pathetic." Viktor sneered. "The only child of mine that survives is the one that wants to be a _doctor."_

"My condition isn't my fault!" Sparrow snarled.

"Excuses, excuses." Viktor sighed. "Just hurry, will you?"

The line went dead.

###

"It's freezing!" Hope squealed.

"Shut the heck up." Natalie snapped.

"But…" Hope sighed. "Never mind." She crossed her arms. _No one around here ever listens to me_…

"So where are we going?" Sepia asked.

"Dead ahead." Anastasia said. "That's where the controls and stuff will be…"

"Can we split up?" Otto pleaded. "And go find Laura?"

Natalie put her hands on her hips. "Do we really have to go over this again? When will it be easier to rescue Laura- when the security is on or off?"

"Off." Otto said grudgingly.

"Genius." Natalie snapped.

"Hey…" Alex said nervously. "I don't think our appearance is unnoticed anymore…"

He was pointing towards the large group of guards headed towards them.

"BRACE YOURSELVES, WE'RE GOING TO RAM!" Hope bellowed.

"Don't they sat that on ships?" Sepia said.

"I hate my life." Natalie muttered.


	95. Part Four: Chapter Seven

"That's great." Hope said. "DAR SHE BLOWS!"

"Ack." Natalie muttered. She threw herself into battle against the guards. Otto watched her as she fought. She was slower then she usually was. Something was wrong. He'd barely formed this thought when Natalie staggered, then collapsed.

He was at her side in a second. She didn't seem to be hurt. He noticed Alex instinctively circling around them, protecting his sister.

Otto put his hand on Natalie's chest. As he had thought, her heart had stopped again. He pressed down on her chest. "Come _on…_"

Finally, Natalie took a deep breath. Otto pulled her to her feet. "Let's get you to the security place."

"No, I'm okay." Natalie slipped out of his grasp. She did seem to be fine.

CRACK!

Natalie collapsed, her body convulsing. Otto had a split second to wonder what had just happened, before his body exploded with pain. He fell beside Natalie.

Ashe stood a few feet away, the red lighting scars on her arms and legs standing out like blood on snow. "Got you." She hissed.

Anastasia barreled into her, knocking her over. "Stay away from them!"

Otto got to his feet, but Natalie didn't move. Sepia stood beside him. She'd gotten a gun from somewhere, and her arm was soaked with blood. Ashe got to her feet, but Anastasia was on her again. They struggled with each other, punching and kicking. Sepia aimed at them, but Otto grabbed her arm. "You could hit Anastasia on accident!"

"So?!" Natalie hissed, getting to her feet.

"So she's working for us now!" Otto yelled. "We don't want to lose a member of our team-"

Sepia shrieked as a guard grabbed her. She landed on the stone of the courtyard hard, too hard. Otto heard something crack. She did not get up again. Natalie grabbed the gun from her hand and started firing, killing guard after guard after guard.

Otto glanced at her. The look in her eyes… it was scaring him…

###

Laura opened her eyes again. A woman was standing over her.

"Raven…?" she mumbled.

"No." The woman handed her a cup of purplish liquid. "Here, drink this."

Laura did so, and felt her mind clear. "Where am I?" she asked.

"Hospital wing." The woman looked at her strangely. "Do you have a daughter? Named Alia?"

"Yeah…" Laura mumbled.

"She's safe." The woman said.

"Good." Laura sighed.  
"But you're not." The woman sighed. "And my father… he's ordered that your youngest daughter be killed.

"No!" Laura yelled. "No- please-"

"I'm sorry." The woman pulled a knife from her belt. "I'm only following orders…"


	96. Part Four: Chapter Eight

Ashe had Anastasia pinned down against the stone floor of the courtyard. Anastasia whipped at the blood on her forehead.

"You won't hurt me. You're too soft." Anastasia growled.

"Will I?" Ashe drew a knife from her belt. "You'll find I'm not the same as I used to be…"

"No." Anastasia screamed as Ashe began to trace the line of her face with the knife. "I liked you better… when you were innocent and weak…"

"What, so it was easier to steal my boyfriend from under my nose?" Ashe spat.

"Pietor hit on me, not the other way around-"

"Geez." Alex muttered to Natalie. "They're even more screwed up then we used to be."

"Yeah." Natalie smiled at him. "Glad _that's _over…"

"Come on!" Otto started dragging her towards the control room. Alex started to follow, but then noticed Sepia on the ground and halted.

Natalie reached the door to the building. She rattled it.

"Is it locked?" Otto asked.

In response, Natalie turned around and kissed him.

Otto jerked away in surprise. _"Natalie!_"

"Sorry…" Her face was red. She refused to meet his gaze. "I don't know what's wrong with me… it's just…. I think I love you."

"Let's just get the door open." Otto said, turning away from her.

_Geez, what did you do that for?_ _Ever since Hope locked us up together, I've been barely able to keep a lid on it… and now…_

Natalie started working on the door. Then suddenly, she began to laugh.

"Natalie…?"Otto asked.

"I'm just like my mom." Natalie whispered. "I'm always going to be alone…"

Otto put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sometimes…" He squeezed and kept going. "Sometimes I wish that Tobias and Alia hadn't been born so early… because then… then things might have turned out different. But… I'm still happy with Laura and everyone… do you understand now?"

"No." The door clicked open. "No, I don't understand." Natalie was crying now. "I'm the one who's been through the most these past few years! So why am I the only one who doesn't get a happily ever after?!"

Otto shrugged.

"Probably because this story isn't finished yet."


	97. Part Four: Chapter Nine

**This story is getting close to being over…**

**ACK! That's my one problem… I can't end anything…**

**Anyway, thank you to anyone who reviewed, it makes my day. And I'm sorry if the constant updates is too much… I hope the smaller chapters make up for it. **

"_Hey, Otto!"_

_Otto glared down at the textbook, ignoring Shelby. _

"_Otto!" she hissed. _

"_What?" Otto snarled back._

"_What did you do to Laura?" Shelby whispered._

"_What do you mean, what did I do to Laura? I've done nothing to La-"_

"_Then why's she crying in the girls' bathroom?!"_

"_Huh?" Otto said. He looked around- no Laura. He sat through the rest of the lesson, then dashed out as soon as it was over._

"_Laura?"_

_She straightened up, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. _

"_WHY ARE YOU IN HERE?!" she spluttered._

"_Looking for you." Otto said. "What's wrong?" He turned her around to face him. "What's wrong, Laura?"_

_Laura bit her lip. They'd only started going out a few months ago…_

"_I'm pregnant." she whispered. _

"_Oh." Said Otto._

"_Oh?" Laura crossed her arms. "That's it? Oh?"_

_The next thing she knew Otto had grabbed her by the shoulders and was shaking her. "Laura! That's great! This is awesome! I have an excuse to skip class now! We have to tell Dr. Nero! And Shelby! And Natalie! And Nigel! And Alex… okay, maybe not Alex… And Annicka! You know what?!" Otto grinned like a maniac. "WE SHOULD ANNOUNCE IT OVER THE P.A. SYSTEM!"_

"_What?" Laura was having trouble processing, but she could gather that was a VERY BAD IDEA. "Otto! No, I-"_

_Otto had already taken off._

Crap._ Laura thought. _This is not going to end well…

###

Laura opened her eyes.

"Do you want more painkiller?" the woman asked. "Here, I'll-"

She reached for a syringe, but Laura sat up suddenly, and her fingers grabbed the knife instead.

The woman screamed. Blood began to drip from her fingertips.

"Sorry, are you okay?" Laura said.

"No. No I'm not." The woman shoved her hand in her pocket, searching for something. She swore. "Not _now…_" She stood up. "I have to go."


	98. Part Four: Chapter Ten

"Are you kidding?" Hope snapped. "That is so beyond cheesy."

"I was just trying to cheer her up." Otto said, miffed.

"And she has not been through the most!" Hope spluttered. "I _died_!"

"Well, I got controlled by my dad, watched my mom die- actually, she died twice- and my little sister killed herself, and I killed my little sister and then there's the whole Otto-Saffron thing with I do _not_ want to get into-"

"Okay, Natalie." Otto said. "We get it."

"You better!" Natalie crossed her arms.

"Wow, you went from pathetic to winey in three seconds." Hope said.

"Shut up." Natalie hissed. "Did your brain mature at all in the past seventeen years? Or were you too busy being brain_-dead_?!"

"That was _low_." Hope hissed.

"Yeah, well… you're short."

Hope opened her mouth to report.

"Both of you, quit it!" Otto yelled.

WHAM!

###

Sparrow was running as fast as she could. She was pretty sure she'd left her medicine in the control building. But as she reached it, she slammed into a woman with dark hair.

"Look where you're going!" Sparrow hissed.

"I believe I could say the same about you." The woman growled.

"Who are you? I haven't seen you here before." Sparrow said. Then she cursed._ I have no time for this! I've got to get my medicine. _

"Natalie Nero." The woman blurted, then winced, like she hadn't meant to say anything. "I mean… that's none of your business."

"Excuse me!" Sparrow pushed past then and scanned the desk. "Oh!"

She picked up the small container from the table and gulped down a couple of the pills. She'd still have to get to Viktor fast but they would keep her from bleeding to death in the time being.

She turned to face Nero again. There were two others behind her, a man and a woman. "So what _are _you guys doing here?"

"Invading." the woman said. "Duh."

"Ah." Said Sparrow. "Well then… I'll get out of your way."


	99. Part Four: Chapter Eleven

Laura groaned as she sat up. Her face felt so hot…and her side ached. She pulled up her shirt and noticed a neat line of dark stitches.

_So she did do it._

She pulled her knees up to her chest- which made the stitches sting but she didn't care- and buried her face in it. Then she frowned. She could hear people yelling. She sat up.

_Ah, what's the point? I'm too weak to do anything, anyway… _She leaned back against the pillows and quickly fell asleep.

###

Natalie rushed to the control panel.

"Hmmmm… I wonder what this button does?" Hope said. Otto swatted her hand away.

"Hope, if we're in a control center you don't go around pressing random buttons."

"Don't worry. I won't press any red ones." Hope giggled and reached for another button.

"What does it being red have to do with anything?" Otto asked.

"In spy movies, red buttons are always bad." Hope said.

"Hope, your _life_ is a spy movie."

"Yeah, and we're the villains." Hope sighed and flopped back onto the control panel. "You know that the villains always get defeated in spy movies…"

"HOPE!" yelled Otto and Natalie at the same time as several beeping noises started in response to the dozen or so buttons that Hope was pushing with her back.

"Ah… whoopsies." Hope laughed. "It's all good, right guys?"

Natalie and Otto glared at her.

"Yeah… okay, so I screwed up." Hope brightened. "Hey, maybe if I push them again…"

"NO!" yelled the others.

"Fine, fine. You guys are a bunch of party poopers." Hope sighed.

"Hope, you might have started a grade 4 disaster." Natalie said. "Now shut up."

"Grade 4? What's a grade 4 disaster?"

"It means that two dozen four-year olds could create one in twenty seconds." Natalie explained.

"Of course, there's only one of you and you did it in three seconds." Otto added.

"I'm a freaking genius!" Hope cheered.

"Great." Natalie sighed exasperatedly. "Can you be a genius at something else? _Please?!_"


	100. Part Four: Chapter Twelve

"Like what?" Hope said. "Because I'm a freakin' genius at speed eating-"

"That doesn't count." Natalie said firmly.

"Okay, can we stop this?" Otto looked around at the monitors on the wall. "I think we have more important things to worry about."

"We did turn the security system off, though." Natalie said. "So I guess we can call in everyone else."

"Right." Otto said. "And go and look for Laura."

Natalie sighed. "And go and look for Laura."

###

_Laura lay down on the bed. Shelby dropped the box next to her._

_Laura sprang back up. "Ow! That was my foot!"_

"_Ankle."_

"_Ankle! It still hurts!" Laura rubbed her foot. "Cheese, Shelby."_

"_Cheese." Shelby repeated. _

"_Cheese."_

"_You really are pregnant, aren't you? You're acting like Hope." Shelby scowled. "Where's Otto? Shouldn't he be taking care of you right now?"_

"_I told you, he's _working_." Laura snapped. _

"_That's what he said. He's probably just messing around with Annicka-"_

"_A), he never liked Annicka, b) he's not like that, c) ANNICKA IS THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY IN A VOLCANO." Laura spat._

"_I'm just saying." Shelby sighed. "Grouchy, too…"_

"_What?"_

"_You're grouchy."_

"_That has nothing to do with-"_

"_You're still grouchy." Shelby yawned. "So, are you gonna help me with this?" She picked up the bag and swung it back and forth in Laura's face. "Geez, baby clothes are heavy…"_

"_Well, it's for two of them." Laura opened the bag and started taking things out. _

"_Twins." Shelby yawned. "I wish you would just hurry up and have them already."_

"_Me too." Otto said. The girls both jumped. _

"_When did you get here?!" Shelby spluttered. "And how much did you hear?"_

_Otto smirked. Then he flicked Shelby in the forehead. "And I would never do anything behind Laura's back. Idiot."_

_Shelby crossed her arms. "Whatever."_

"_Hah, see, I was right!" Laura said. Then she winced. _

"_Laura?" Otto said, suddenly worried. "Are you okay?"_

**I hope you like the flashbacks, because I like then and there's probably going to be a couple more…**


	101. Part Four: Chapter Thirteen

_Laura buckled the seatbelt across her wide stomach. "I don't think we really have to go all the way to the hospital, Otto."_

"_It might not be as bad as I think it is… but something's still going on." Otto said._

"_Plus the hospital is about three blocks from this really awesome jewelry store." Shelby bubbled. "And they're having a sale…"_

_Laura sighed. "I knew you had some ulterior motive for coming to my house."_

"_Plus, I was hoping that there'd be cute little Malpenses." Shelby said._

"_My due date's not for two more weeks." Laura said. _

"_Twelve days." Otto corrected. _

"_Why do you know that? You don't even have to do anything." Laura snapped. _

"_I had to get you here in the first place, didn't you?"_

"_Yeah, but that took you like a week." Laura said. _

"_Three." Otto snapped. _

"_Three?" Shelby sighed. "Wow, there's a ton of traffic…"_

"_It's always like this…" Laura yawned and stared out the window. _

"_Crap…" Otto stared out at the road. "I hope we get there fast enough…"_

"_We will. We have all the time in the-" Laura shuddered suddenly. "Actually, I- OTTO, LOOK OUT!"_

_The blue car swerved out of nowhere. Laura closed her eyes and clenched her fists, bracing herself for the impact. She was jerked sideways, then her head slammed into something. She lay still for a moment, then the horrible crashing noises around her stopped._

"_Is everyone okay?" Shelby yelled._

_Laura's arm ached. She looked down. The window next to her must have broken, sending shards of glass into her flesh._

"_I liked this car!" Otto sounded furious._

"_You are such a boy…" Shelby sighed. _

"_Otto… someone call an ambulance." Laura gasped. _

"_Why?" Otto said. He started moving towards her from the front seat. "Are you hurt?!"_

"_Not very badly, but that's not what I'm worried about." Laura pulled her knees into her chest. "You were right, Otto."_

"_What does that mean?" Shelby said. "I hate it when you guys act like everyone already knows stuff… this isn't a story! You have to fill in the blanks for me!"_

"_Cute little Malpenses." Laura said. _

"_Ah…" Shelby frowned. "That's not good… not good at _all…_"_

_Otto started clapping slowly. "Congratulations, Shelby…. You are a freaking genius…"_


	102. Part Four: Chapter Fourteen

**This chapter is longer than usual because there was another part I really wanted to put in today. **

_Laura's face was as pale as snow as Otto set the boy in her arms. She smiled. "He's sweet. Where's his sister?"_

"_You can see her later." Otto said. "Right now, you need to rest."_

"_I want to meet her!" Laura spluttered. _

"_Shh…" Otto kissed her forehead. "All right, if you really want to see."_

_He got up and came back a few minutes later with another baby in his arms. Laura held her too._

"_Come here, Otto." She smiled. "I want our family to be together…"_

"LAURA!"

She was jerked out of her dream, into reality. And Otto was holding her.

"OTTO!" She threw her arms around his neck. "Oh… I missed you so much…"

"Where are the kids?" he whispered.

"I don't know about Alia, she may have escaped. But Angelique and Tobias are captured." "That's okay, we can rescue them too." Otto said.

"And the baby…" Laura held up her shirt, exposing the stitches that Sparrow had given her.

"Oh…" Otto took her hand and squeezed it. He looked into her eyes. "I'm very sorry, Laura."

"You sound so formal." She laughed.

"Well, what am I supposed to do, cry?" Otto pressed her head to his chest.

"This is very touching and all, but can we go?" Natalie said, walking out of the bathroom. "We kind of have stuff to do."

"Are you okay?" Otto asked.

"Throwing up again." Natalie grunted.

"Lovely." Otto sighed and looked to Laura, only then noticing that she was glaring at him.

"I swear, I didn't do anything!" Otto spluttered.

"Well, you tried but I knocked you out." Natalie added.

"Not helping." Otto spat.

"The thing is… when Ashe made me turn into my mom… I sort of… well, Nero is a good kisser." Natalie flushed.

"But he's your _dad._" Laura said in disgust. "Well, like your dad."

"I know." Natalie made a face.

She turned around when she heard someone laughing. It was Hope.

"Are you okay? You sound strange." Otto said.

"Have you ever heard the story of Pandora?" Hope came closer. She was holding a gun.

"Yeah, she's the one with the box, right?" Otto said.

"All the nasty stuff escaped." Hope said. "And the only thing left was Hope."

She turned and pointed the gun straight at Natalie's chest.

"And if you lose Hope… you haven't got anything left, have you?"

"Hope, you aren't making any sense-" Natalie started.

She fired.


	103. Part Four: Chapter Fifteen

Natalie stood in shock. She didn't even try to step aside. Otto and Laura stood behind her, similarly stricken.

Anastasia threw herself in front of Natalie, moments before the bullet pierced her chest. It sliced into her side, sending her to the floor.

"Hope!" Natalie drew one of her knives. "What the heck are you doing?"

"Betraying all of you to Ashe Furan, obviously." Hope said coolly.

"What?" Otto took a step forward. "Why?!"

"Because the only reason I bothered to come back to my stupid family is because of you." Hope glared at Otto. "But you're way too into _her,_" -she cast a scornful glance at Laura here- "to even _look_ at me!"

"Oh, for crying out loud." Otto muttered. "Why does everyone like _me_?"

"You're supposed to be pleased." Laura rubbed her head against his shoulder.

"Well, it keeps interfering with my relationship with you!" Otto said. He kissed Laura's cheek.

"It proves that I have good taste." Laura said.

"Okay, you guys can make out later." Natalie said.

"Hey!" Otto said. "There was no ground for that accusation! We are not making out!"

Natalie ignored him, turning back to Hope. Then she cursed. "Hey, get back here!" She threw the knife. It sank into Hope's shoulder. Hope screamed, grabbing at the blade.

Natalie ran towards her, reaching her just as Hope wrenched the knife from her shoulder. She grabbed Hope's ponytail and yanked her backwards, then let go. Hope lost her balance and fell back. Her head slammed into the floor.

Laura shook Anastasia's shoulder. "Hey! Are you alright?"

Anastasia gasped, blood trickling down her side and onto Laura's arm. She closed her eyes. "Sorry, Aliya…"

"No, she's obviously dying." Natalie tossed Hope carelessly onto Laura's bed. "Let's leave the traitor here, shall we?"

"And her?" Otto pointed to Anastasia.

Natalie hesitated. Then she looked up as Ashe entered the room. "Dang, you again…"

Anastasia staggered to her feet. "I… got this…"

"I-"

"Go!" Anastasia yelled, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Otto shrugged. "Bye, then."

"Bye." She smiled, then turned to Ashe and narrowed her eyes. "Come on."


	104. Part Four: Chapter Sixteen

Blood splattered Ashe's boots as Anastasia collapsed to the ground, her chest still. Ashe smirked. _Stupid sister. _

She moved towards Hope and shook her awake. "Get up. I want those siblings of your _dead,_ now."

"I didn't know that was part of the plan." Hope said. "Viktor said-"

"Who's in charge here, Viktor or me?" Ashe growled.

"You… I think." Hope mumbled.

"Right answer." Ashe turned. "Hallie?"

Hope gasped. The girl behind Ashe looked like Hallie, but she was taller, her body more mature. In other words, it seemed like Hallie had grown up at least ten years.

"She'll help you eliminate the targets." Ashe gestured Hallie forward.

"What targets?" Viktor appeared behind Hallie. He was standing next to a blond woman that Hope hadn't seen before. "I said that we needed to _capture _them, not kill them."

"Of course, that's what I meant." Ashe smiled at him.

"Sparrow." Viktor turned to the woman. "Hallie. Kill her."

###

Alex caught Sepia before she could fall to the ground. "You alright?"

"Yeah, just…" Sepia looked away from the handsome boy who she just couldn't understand. "Just… oh, it's not important."

"Are you hurt?" Alex looked up. "You don't _look_ like it…"

"No, I'm not hurt." Sepia shrugged. "I just… never killed anyone before, that's all."

"Oh." Alex laughed. "Well, it's pretty easy after the first time."

"Great, I'm in love with an experience killer." Sepia blurted. Then she blushed.

"What was that?" Alex said softly.

"You're an experienced killer." Sepia mumbled.

"No, that last part." Alex cupped her chin in his hands.

"I-I don't remember." She hoped her didn't notice her blush, but that was unlikely- she was the color of a sunburnt tomato.

"Hmm." Alex leaned forward so their noses were almost touching. "I'll just have to make you, then."

As his lips touched hers, Sepia jerked back. "Alex, I really don't think we should-"

"Aw, what's life without a little something sweet?" Alex kissed her neck. "Come on."

"But is this really the place?" Sepia whispered.

"Why not? All the guards are dead." Alex stroked her hair. "Come on, just forget about it and let's enjoy ourselves."

"Not on my watch." Natalie said grimly.

Alex jumped. "What now?"

"My black box won't send the message." Natalie said. "And Hope ordered everyone to leave theirs back at the school…"

"Oh… well, since she said that you'd said it, I ignored her." Alex pulled out his blackbox. "Here you go."

Natalie threw his arms around his neck. "Thank you for disobeying my orders." she said. "Now let's see if we can get us some back up."


	105. Part Four: Chapter Seventeen

"What?" Sparrow looked shocked. "But I can't fight! I-"

"Kill her or I'll cut you so badly you'll die before you can get to your medicine." Viktor snarled.

"I don't have a weapon-"

"You _are _a weapon." Viktor hissed. "So act like it."

Sparrow swallowed and walked towards Ashe. Hope started to back away. She didn't want to get in the way. Ashe was starting to look kind of frightened.

Hallie drew a knife with a long serrated blade from her belt. She grabbed Ashe's arm and jerked her towards the wall. Ashe slammed into it.

Hope frowned. _She shouldn't be that strong-_

Hallie pinned Ashe to the wall and ran the knife down her cheek.

"Don't draw it out, just _kill _her!" Viktor snarled.

Hallie sighed. "Looks like you're lucky today…"

"Viktor, what do you think your doing?!" Ashe screamed. "We're allies!"

"Yes, well." Viktor shrugged. "It was always meant to be a temporary alliance."

"No!" Ashe closed her eyes. "Please, I-"

"What, you think you can get me to spare your life after what you've done?" Viktor laughed. "I'll leave the two of you to deal with it. You-" He pointed to Hope. "Come with me."

"Yes, sir." Hope said, following him out.

Ashe closed her eyes but all she could see was red. Sparrow took a step towards the two.

"Here, you go ahead and finish her off." Hallie said, passing her the knife and stepping to the side.

"Oh , no, that's really okay-" Sparrow stammered.

"No, I insist." Hallie said coolly.

Sparrow looked down at the knife. "Er…"

She took a step forward and slashed the knife across Ashe's throat. Hallie let go of her and Ashe collapsed next to her sister.

"There we go." Hallie wiped the knife's blade on Ashe's shirt, then shoved it back into her belt. "Let's go track down Viktor."

"Er… why would we do that?"

"Because he's my boss now." Hallie said. "And your boss too."

"He isn't my boss." Sparrow muttered. "He's my dad, and barely that even..."

Hallie put one hand on the hilt of her knife. "For now, he's your boss. Got it?"

"Yeah." Sparrow sighed. "Got it."


	106. Part Four: Chapter Eighteen

"DARN!" Natalie screamed.

"Geez, that was really loud." Otto muttered.

"I CAN'T GET IT TO CONNECT!" Natalie yelled.

"Be zen." Alex said.

"Did you just tell me to be _zen_?" Natalie said.

"Uh, yeah." Alex said.

Natalie cracked up.

"Okay, can we focus?" Sepia asked.

"I'm sorry, it's just that… he had a major temper." Natalie snickered into her hand.

"Fine, then I'll say something to annoy you." Alex smiled evilly. "You know how Otto does that thing where he goes nuts and ends up having kids with a random girl?"

"Unfortunately yes." Laura mumbled.

"Well, Natalie-"

WHAMM!

Alex staggered backwards, reeling.

"I thought we'd agreed," Natalie said through gritted teeth. "that you weren't going to tell _anyone?!_"

"Promises are made to shatter into a billion pieces." Alex mumbled. "Aaaaah… my head is throbbing…"

"Did you have to hit Alex quite that hard?" Otto asked. "We don't want to give anyone on our team a concussion, now do we?"

"He doesn't count." Natalie grunted. "No, _it _doesn't even count."

"Hear that?" Sepia poked Alex. "You've been downgraded."

"Yeah, well…" Alex shrugged. "So now what do we do?"

"Otto, take Laura and get out of here." Natalie ordered. "She shouldn't be in a fight because of the baby-"

"There is no baby." Otto said. "It's a long story."

"Get her out of her anyways. She's still weak."

"Hello, _standing right here_." Laura snapped.

"Weak in a good, cute, girly way." Natalie said. "It's not a bad thing…"

"Wait." Otto said. "Shouldn't we try to find our kids first? Then we can escape together."

"Okay, good point." Natalie said. "Anastasia… oh, wait… does anyone have any idea where the cells are?"

"Nope." Otto said.

"Then I demand a map!" Natalie yelled.

"From what, thin air?" Otto said.

"…YOU'RE ANNOYING ME!" Natalie smacked Otto on the head, and he went spinning into the corner. "Now shove those two its in a corner and let's go do something productive."


	107. Part Four: Chapter Nineteen

Alia was confused. She wasn't sure what was going on. The place where they had been brought… was it a prison?

And why was her brother here?

Tobias was slumped against one of the walls of the office. The triplets were making a duct tape mustache for him. Angelique was next to him.

Evan spun around in the office chair. "Ug, I with Sparrow would come back. This is annoying."

"She certainly is taking her time." Ian shrugged. Alia glanced at him. Not that she thought about it, he kind of resembled Natalie's dead finance, not from the way her looked, but from the way he acted. "I'm sure we're being punished for something we can't even remember. Thea can be kind of mean sometimes."

Tobias yawned. "Three point one four one five two six five three…"

"Why do you dream in Pi?" Alia poked him. "You've slept for long enough… come on."

Tobias groaned and opened his eyes. "What're you doing here?"

"Standing." Alia snapped. "What happened to Mum?"

"Kidnapped by that old guy." Tobias mumbled, starting to nod off again.

She smacked his wrist. "Hey! I said wake up, and I meant wake up."

"You're mean…"

"Yeah, and don't you forget it!" Alia frowned. "We've got to rescue her."

"The old guy?" Ian asked. "You mean Viktor?"

"That might have been his name…" Alia said.

"My name is Viktor!" said Viktor.

"And my name is Max." said Max. "Now shut up and get back to work. We might be able to finish this mustache before Angelique wakes up."

"Then there's no way." Ian said. "Once he's set his sights on a girl, she never gets away."

"Until he gets bored of her and executes her." Evan added.

"Not on my watch." Alia grunted. "Ugg…" She rubbed her head. "I wish I could have gotten a useful skill from Mum and Dad instead of a major temper."

"And we're not quite sure where you do get that from." Ivan muttered.

"Probably my dad. You should see him on taco night-" Tobias started.

"Hey, you guys." Even interrupted. "The door's open."


	108. Part Four: Chapter Twenty

Alia poked her head out into the corridor. It was short, and there was one door at the end of it.

"Wait, don't we need an invasion plan?" Tobias said.

"Keep your stupid invasion plan." Alia snapped. "I'm going to go save Mum."

"Good luck with that." Tobias called.

Alia ran down the hall and banged open the door. The room was big and filled with rows of bunk beds. It was also totally deserted. She ran through it to the other side, where she found another door. She went through it, then turned around.

"I thought you were making a plan." She said to Tobias.

"I did. Follow you."

"Crappy plan."

"Dad said you weren't allowed to say that." Tobias said.

"I don't care." Alia sighed. "And really? You didn't bother waking Angelique up?"

"I'm right here." Angelique said.

"Where's the cell phone come from?" Alia asked.

"I borrowed it from Hallie." Angelique said.

"How'd you manage that?"

"Epic amounts of awesomeness." Angelique said.

"Hilarious." Alia yawned. "Let's go."

"You know, if you combine our names, you get the word 'alias?'"

"Shut up, Tobias!"

###

Laura, Otto, Alex, Sepia, Natalie and Timothy set off to go find Laura and Otto's kids.

"You know, together you guys are like a copy machine." Alex said cheerfully.

"Thanks." Otto growled.

"Hopefully, you won't run out of toner in the middle of a-"

"That's enough, Alex." Natalie said firmly.

"I spent all day thinking of that joke." Alex whined.

"That explains why this mission has gone completely downhill." Laura muttered.

"Hey!" Alex spluttered.

"Well, that was kind of mean…" Laura made a hurt face. "I've only had five kids total…"

"Only five, she says." Natalie teased.

"Your mom had nine kids." Otto snapped.

"Okay, so I have copy machine parents too…" Alex cried out and collapsed.

"Alex?" Natalie started towards him, but then she fell too, clutching her chest. In seconds, all of them were unconscious.


	109. Part Four: Chapter Twenty One

It was dark and cold and everything was blue. Alex looked around. He seemed to be floating somewhere, but he couldn't see anything other than blue, not even the ground.

Then Laura appeared.

"Hey, Alex." She said coolly. She seemed different… colder. She smiled, but it was more like the sort of smile Natalie was always giving to Otto, a smile that meant 'I could kill you in about four seconds, so shut up'.

"Hi." Alex said. He started moving towards her, but Otto appeared and barred his way.

"What, you think you can steal her?" Otto seemed colder too. "There's no way you'll ever be number one at anything. We're all better then you. Even Sepia doesn't like you."

"What the heck?" Alex rolled his eyes. "Is this about the cookie thing? Because I _will _pay you back, Otto, I promise-"

"It's no wonder." Laura laughed. "He's so stupid. He can't even figure out that he's being insulted."

"I get that part." Alex snapped. "I just don't get why…"

Laura's face twisted into a nasty sneer. "Because no one likes you, Alex. That's why."

"Now that's not very nice." He shoved Otto aside and grabbed Laura's wrist. "Why are you talking like this, Laura? I thought you loved me."

"I just said that so you wouldn't feel bad." Laura jerked away. "You know you can never compare to Otto, so why bother?"

"I really don't know." Alex mumbled. "I guess it is stupid. But you don't have to rub it in." He started walking. "Now I have to go find Natalie."

"No." Laura hissed. "Stay here-"

"You know what?" Alex turned to face her. "I don't think you're real."

Laura's legs shook for a moment. "What do you mean, I'm not-"

"Viktor and Ashe are trying to mess with me." Alex shrugged. "Unfortunately for them…" He grabbed Laura by the neck and twisted. There was a sharp crack and she vanished. "I'm not that stupid." He turned to Otto. "So you can tell him it didn't work."

"What if I told you that she was real?" Otto had started to change, morphing into Viktor. "Or at least linked to the real Laura, and right now she's dying because of what you just did?"

"She'd understand." Alex said. "The real Laura loves me."

"But she loves Otto more then you." Viktor hissed.

"So?" Alex shrugged. "I don't care."

He blinked, and everything changed. He was lying in the corner of a room made of cement. Natalie, Otto, Laura, Sepia and Timothy were heaped around him. He shook the nearest one, Sepia. But nothing happened.

"Great." He sighed. "Why did I make friends with a bunch of idiots?"


	110. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Two

Behind Alex, Otto suddenly sat upright, yelling something Alex couldn't understand. Then he blinked. "Where are we? What's going on? Why are they all unconscious?"

"I think they're testing us or something." Alex said.

They sat for a moment in silence.

"Why do you keep looking at Laura's neck?" Otto asked. "That's sort of creepy."

"I had a weird dream." Alex said.

"Yeah, me too." Otto frowned. "I sort of stabbed you in the dream."

"I broke her neck."

"Ah." Otto looked around nervously. "Um… you don't_ really_ think I'm a cowardly two-faced girlfriend stealer?"

"Not at the moment." Alex said.

"So previously, you did think I was a-"

"And I thought Natalie was a traitor. People change."

"Wait, you changed, or I changed?"

"I changed, so my perception of you changed." Alex explained.

"Right." Otto sighed. "So… we just have to sit here until they wake up?"

"Well, do you see a door anywhere?" Alex said sarcastically.

"I do, but I'm pretty sure it's locked." Otto frowned. "And why is there a drain in this room?"

"So they can wash away the blood after they torture people." Alex said off-handedly.

"Oh. Great."

"We have one of those too, you know." Alex said. "It's just in the basement."

"We have a basement? In a volcano?"

Alex nodded.

"Go figure." Otto muttered.

Laura began to thrash around, kicking and screaming at things only she could see. "TOBIAS! ALIA!"

Alex laid her head in his lap. He grabbed her hand and started stroking it. Laura was crying, tears running down her cheeks and wetting his sleeves.

"Why won't she wake up!?" Otto said, sounding on the verge of hysterics.

"She'll come around." Alex said.

Time passed slowly. Timothy woke up and joined them, but the others did not. Alex kept glancing nervously at Sepia and his sister. He was worried about them too. Laura had gone quiet, her face deathly still and pale. Otto was restless.

"Now I know why Natalie did all those pushups." He muttered, kicking at the door.

Alex ignored him. He was staring at Laura's forehead, where a thin cut had materialized. More and more appeared, like someone was painting red lines up and down her body. She was twitching, her eyelids fluttering desperately.

Alex felt a sudden sting on his hand. He looked down and saw a cut on his own hand, the one that was holding Laura's. He gathered her up to him, pulling her closer to him, shielding her.

"What are you doing?" Otto asked.

"I'm trying to keep her safe." Alex said.

Otto knelt next to them, and kissed Laura.

Instantly, her eyes jerked open and she screamed.

"I thought that only worked in fairy tales." Timothy said.


	111. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Three

Laura hugged Otto tightly. "That was so, so awful." She whispered. "I…" She frowned. "I'm… having cramps."

"You're… what?" Alex said.

"Bad ones… like I'm having a baby." Laura said.

"But didn't you say that there wasn't one anymore?" Otto asked

"I don't think she really did anything." Laura said. "I think she just said she did… and now…." She looked down at herself. "Geez, don't drag me through a patch of thorns, okay?" Then she curled up into a ball, shaking.

"Laura? Is something wrong?" Otto said, gathering her up in his arms.

"I just remembered what I dreamed about." Laura mumbled into his shoulder.

"Why, what happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it." She winced. "Otto, I'm definitely having a baby." She looked around. "And why am I the only female conscious at the moment?"

"Just to annoy you." Timothy said.

"Hello, what am I?" Sepia growled.

"Oh, hello, Sepia." Timothy said. "So you woke up too?"

"Yep." Sepia leaned against Alex's shoulder. "What's wrong with Brand?"

"She's having a baby." Alex said. "She thinks."

"I'm positive." Laura said firmly. She winced again and squeezed Otto's hand. "Oh, god, it's too early, Otto!"

"Everything will be fine. Everyone be zen." Alex said.

"Ignore him." Timothy said.

"Natalie's taking forever." Otto said, looking at the sleeping woman.

"That just means she has a lot of problems." Alex said dismissively.

"Still... I'm getting a little worried." Otto said.

"Oh, sure, at a time like this, you get all worried about her." Laura growled.

"What's wrong now?" Otto said.

"Oh, leave me alone and go fawn over Natalie, like you obviously want to!" Laura huffed.

"Oh, great." Alex smirked. "Are you guys having Natalie problems _again_?!"

"No." Otto kissed Laura's head. "Stop thinking like that. I love you, so don't even go there. 'Kay?"

"'Kay." Laura sniffled. She buried her head in his shoulder, then sighed.

Otto pushed her off him. "Laura, are you okay? Laura?! Answer me!"

She didn't move.

"Oh, god, look at all the blood she lost." Sepia said. "It's no wonder she's unconscious."

Otto bit his lip. "Come _on…_"


	112. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Four

Natalie was terrified.

It seems like however fast she ran, the firestorm behind her continued to grow and get closer. It didn't help that she was running through a forest. If only she could find some water…

She stumbled, falling onto the ground. Her hands took most of the impact, but she was still stunned for a few seconds…

_Dang, I'm gonna die_…

She looked up and saw her mother standing above her.

"Mom…" she gasped. "Help me…"

"You have to learn that it's sink or swim in this world. You can't depend on others." Raven said coolly.

Natalie forced herself to her feet. "Fine." She spat, and took off running again. Raven ran besides her, but she seemed to be simply walking.

"You're so slow." Raven teased. She smirked. "Max was stupid, leaving the H.I.V.E. in your hands."

"Don't worry, I can handle it." Natalya said.

"You can't even keep your boyfriend alive." Raven snapped. "You're a pathetic excuse for a leader."

Natalie grabbed Raven by the collar. "Say that again…?"

"Are you attacking me?" Raven growled. She aimed a punch at Natalie, but Natalie blocked it. She grabbed Raven's wrist and flipped her over her shoulder into the flames.

"Quite messing with me, Viktor. My mom would never try such a weak move." Natalie said confidently.

The next thing she knew, the fire was gone. She was lying on her back next to Laura, who was moaning and thrashing around with her head in Otto's lap.

"What's wrong with her?" Natalie said, sitting up.

"Oh, good." Otto pulled off his shirt from underneath his jumpsuit. "Here, wear this." He said to Laura, taking off her jumpsuit.

"Why are you talking to her when she's unconscious?" Timothy asked.

"Because then she might wake up." Otto growled. He pulled Laura closer, and now Laura could see that she was unconscious.

"What happened to her?" Natalie asked.

"Her baby's coming." Alex said.

"What are you doing, then? Make her comfortable!" Natalie stood up and kicked the door violently. "HEY! SHE NEEDS HELP!"

"No, she'll be okay." Otto said.

"How long has she been like this?"

"Three hours." Otto said.

"Alex, give me your water bottle." Natalie snapped.

"Okay…" Alex said, handing it over.

Natalie sat down next to Laura and slowly tipped some liquid into her mouth. Laura's eyes fluttered, then opened.

"Oh, my god… this hurts." Laura mumbled.

"I know, but it will be okay." Otto lied. He didn't think it was going to be okay at all. Laura was weak and even if she did survive the birth the baby had almost no chance. They had no medical supplies and they were captured.

And even if they did both live, what kind of future would they have?


	113. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Five

Alia stared up at the helicopter.

"Oh, I know how to fly one of those!" Ivan said.

"So do I, and I'm the one who's going to be doing the flying." Alia growled. That wasn't what she was struggling over. It was the fact that she didn't want to leave her mother and father behind.

"Hey!" yelled a voice. "You kids? What are you doing?!"

Alia made her decision and climbed into the cockpit. Angelique, Even, Tobias, Max, Ivan and Viktor followed her.  
As they flew away, she looked down at the base on the ground. _Mum, Dad, I'll come get you, I promise._

###

"She's so tiny." Otto whispered.

"Too small. Is she breathing?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah but not very well." Otto said. He slowly rocked his newborn daughter back and forth. She was smaller than his head, her arms and legs frail little twigs. Her eyes were closed. "She's beautiful..."

"Here." Alex handed Laura his water bottle. "Drink up."

"I want to wash off." Laura whispered.

"The door's open now." Sepia said. She stepped out of the room. "But all the others doors are locked, except this one…. Hey, there's beds for all of us… and a crib for the little girl… and a bathroom! With a shower."

"I guess we're moving rooms." Otto helped Laura to her feet. "Geez, you're covered in blood- you look like you just caused a massacre or something."

"I know…" Laura mumbled.

"Hey, cheer up!" They had reached the new room. "Everything will be okay. Why don't you go take a shower? That'll make you feel better."

"Come with me." Laura said, tugging on his hand like a child.

"Okay, fine." Otto took a step forward, crashed into a cot and fell over, causing a huge racket. He stood up. "I'm okay! She's okay too!"

"And… she's not crying?" Natalie frowned. "After that loud noise?"

"She's asleep." Otto said.

Natalie took the little girl and clapped right next to her ear. She didn't even open her eyes.

"Otto… I don't think she can hear me." she said.

"She's just sleeping!" Otto insisted.

Natalie started tickling the baby. She opened her eyes, which turned out to be a pale, milky blue, and stared up at her.

Natalie clapped in her ear again.

The baby didn't react, continuing to stare up at her with her blue eyes.

Natalie turned to Otto. "Otto… I think she's deaf."


	114. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Six

Laura cradled Gracie, which was what they'd decided to name the baby, in her arms. "I love you…" she whispered. The night had been so stressful. She couldn't sleep because she was so scared that if she closed her eyes for one minute, her infant daughter would slip away from her. Even though Otto was still watching her, she needed to see it with her own eyes.

Gracie stared up at her blankly.

"How are we supposed to talk to her when she grows up?" Otto whispered. "It's not like I know sign language or anything…"

"I'm sure we can do something." Laura said. "Right now, I just- Ottoshe'snotbreathing!" Her words came out all in a rush.

"Natalie!" Otto yelled.

"She's in the shower." Sepia said. "What is it?"

"Gracie's not breathing!" Laura screamed.

"Push on her chest!" Sepia said.

"What?"

"Like this-"

Gracie gasped and took another breath. Laura started crying with relief. Gracie started to cry as well.

"OTTO, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!" Natalie bellowed. Otto came flying out of the bathroom, holding a hand to his head.

"She's fine now." Laura said. She was trying to ignore what had just happened between Otto and Natalie, but it was hard. And now that they were all locked up together… what might happen if she turned her back?

"Oh thank god." Otto kissed her cheek. "You need a nap, Laura. Go sleep."

"But-"

"You're cute when you're sleeping." Otto said.

"I know." Alex confided. "She looks like a little angel."

"I love watching her, she looks so peaceful-"

"It's hard to determine which one of you is creepier. No peeking!" She pulled off Otto's shirt and climbed into bed.

"Otto is creepier." Natalie said, walking towards them wrapped in a towel.

"Yep." Alex said.

"You just hate me." Otto said.

"Can't really blame him." Natalie said.

Otto grabbed her shoulder. "Hey, about that thing I was talking about-" he started in a low voice.

"It's fine, but we're going to have to wait until they're all asleep." Natalie said.

"What are you going to do…?" Alex said, worried.

Natalie smirked. "It's a secret."


	115. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Seven

Natalie winced as Otto crashed to the ground. "You have _awful_ balance Otto. How did you pass your finals in tactical training?"

"I didn't." Otto said. "I failed them epically, but Laura hacked the system so it got changed."

"That's what I thought." Natalie sighed. "Well, for one thing you have to stop doing that little spin. It leaves you open on your left side."

"Right." Otto tried to shift into what he thought was a fighting stance. Natalie sighed.

"Think fast." Natalie dropped low and swept a kick towards him, easily knocking him over. "When I do that, you have to jump over it."

"Right." Otto said.

"What are you guys doing?" Alex said.

"He wanted me to teach him how to fight, because he found out that Viktor has a major crush on Laura." Natalie said.

"Oh." Alex sighed. "I thought you were going to kiss or something."

"Kiss?" Natalie laughed nervously. "Why would I kiss him?"

"Oh, and thank you for that _lovely_ photograph you sent Laura." Otto growled.

"A baby doesn't get born every day… it was a photogenic moment." Alex said with a smirk.

"It's weird though, that Saffron was born looking exactly like you." Natalie said.

"It's like the world wanted to punish you for having an affair." Alex said happily.

"We didn't have an affair!" Natalie and Otto yelled at the same time.

"You have a baby, didn't you? Saffron had to have come from somewhere…"

"We had an _accident_." Natalie growled.

"Suuure…" Alex rolled his eyes. "Anyway, why'd she ask you to teach her, not me? I'm the resident ninja assassin."

"Because Natalie will tell me how to change and then beat me up, and you'll just say that I'm doing something wrong and then beat me up."

"You're right." Alex grinned. "But I would have enjoyed it…"

"Okay, boys, you are both awesome, we don't need to dispute it." Natalie said rolling her eyes.

"But I'm awesomer, right, Natalie?" Alex asked.

"You are both such… _boys._" Natalie said grouchily.

Suddenly Otto cried out, running over to where Laura was sleeping.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked.

"Laura and Gracie!" Otto yelled. "They're gone!"


	116. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Eight

Laura opened her eyes. She was sitting on a couch, her head in Viktor's lap. He was stroking her hair.

"Please don't do that, it's creepy." Laura said.

"Really- that's what you're going to complain about?" Viktor raised his eyebrow. "Not about the fact that I've stolen you away from your husband?"

"Well, I was getting to that." Laura muttered.

"You're mine now. You might as well just give up on him. Besides, it's obvious he likes another."

"Otto loves me, not Natalie."

"Are you so sure?" Viktor smiled. "They agreed to meet after the others were asleep, you know."

"To do what?" Laura demanded.

"I think you know." Viktor smiled. "Sad that he's abandoned you…"

"He hasn't abandoned me." Laura crossed her arms. "You're being ridiculous."

Viktor just laughed.

"He hasn't." Laura insisted.

"You can keep lying to yourself all you want." Viktor said. "But you can't hide from the truth forever…"

Laura bit her lip, infuriated. "Why do you like me so much?" Laura tried to remember as much as she could about this man. He was Raven and Sirius's father… "Am I like your first wife?"

"You are _nothing_ like Aliya." Viktor said. "She was a reporter. She always had to know everything. It was the reason she was killed." He sighed. "But that doesn't matter."

"The woman I met before, the doctor… she's Raven' sister, right?"

"Yes." Viktor crossed his arms. "Thea is my only surviving daughter… but she's no use to me."

"Why? She helped me."

"She was born with a blood condition. If she cuts herself, she won't be able to stop bleeding and she'll die." Viktor shrugged. "So she's a doctor. Not a very good one because she only learns from books, but still helpful. But not in the way I wanted her to be."

"The way you wanted her to be?"

He stood up. "I have to go now. Don't go anywhere."

He left the room. Laura stood up and stretched. She was tired, but first she had to find Gracie and make sure that she was all right.

She found her daughter in the next room, lying on the bed. Satisfied, she curled up next to her and fell asleep.


	117. Part Four: Chapter Twenty Nine

Laura woke up. She still clutched Gracie in her arms, but her clothes were gone and Viktor was sitting up next to her. She rubbed her head. Had he done something to her when she was asleep? She didn't know him that well… was he really that much of a creep?

"Good morning." Viktor slid his arm around her waist.

"How long am I going to stay here?" Laura blurted. "When are you going to take me back to my husband?"

"I was thinking… never." Viktor said happily.

"Never?" Laura whispered. Never being able to see Otto again? Or even Alex? Or Tobias, Alia and Angelique?

DOES. NOT. COMPUTE.

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing." Laura whispered.

"Well, if you don't I'll kill Otto and Natalie and the others." Viktor said calmly.

"I'm… I'm fine." Laura hugged herself. Gracie opened her eyes but didn't move.

"I think she's hungry, she was crying earlier." Viktor said. Laura turned away from him and held her daughter to her chest.

"Do you like children?" Viktor asked her.

"Yes." Laura said, her mouth barely moving.

"That's good…" Viktor smiled and pulled her into him. She didn't even try to resist. He reached out and ran his finger across Gracie's forehead. "I don't."

"Why?"

"She's cute, but she's so week. She can't even do anything without you helping her."

"That's why I'm here." Laura said, moving Gracie out of Viktor's reach. "What are you trying to do?"

"I can't do anything unless I have your little friends locked up." Viktor shrugged. "So as long as that's going on, I can do whatever I want."

"Natalie's actually not that important in G.L.O.V.E. yet." Laura pointed out. "She just got control of the school less than a year ago, and she's only on the council because she's Nero's daughter…"

"She still maintains the amazing power of getting in the way of anyone who tries to do anything remotely interesting." Viktor grunted.

"That's from her mom." Laura explained.


	118. Part Four: Chapter Thirty

Alia bit her lip, nervous because of all the people staring at her. Sure, they were actually holograms, but that didn't change anything.

"And do you know the location?" a woman asked. She didn't know any of them and they all looked the same, twice as tall as she was and glaring at her.

"No…" Alia mumbled. "Natalie did, though."

Standing next to her, Tobias squeezed her arm. But that didn't change the fact that he hadn't done any of the talking so that she'd had to do it herself even though she was terrified out of her wits.

"And yet she chose not to share it with us." mused a man.

"There will be no rescue mission." another man added.

"But my parents are back there!" Alia yelled.

"Miss Malpense, please hold your tongue." said another.

"This meeting is over." said the woman who'd first spoken.

Alia stomped her foot, then stormed out of the room, dragging her twin behind her.

_I'll come back and save you. Whatever it takes._

###

Natalie glared at Viktor, her arms crossed. "So that's where Laura went." She said, staring at her friend. "I bet she really appreciates being dressed up like a doll like that."

Laura tugged at the lacy hem of her skirt but didn't say a word. Otto smiled at her, but she could tell that he was upset.

Why shouldn't he be upset? His wife had been turned into some other man's plaything.

"You lot cause too much trouble." Viktor glared at all of them. "It's better for you to stay here like this."

"You can't keep me caged up like this for long." Natalie said coldly. "Or you'll be in a world of hurt."

"Can I?" He took a step forward and pulled the collar of her blouse down, exposing the tattoo of the raven over Natalie's heart.

Then he took a knife from his belt and slashed it across the image.

Natalie started to fall, but Otto caught her in his arms. He shook her, yelling at her to wake up.

Viktor laughed.

"Game over, Natalie Nero."

**This story is almost over… But there will be a sequel, because obviously I can't just leave everybody stuck there. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed!**


	119. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

"Really? That's how this is going to end?" _The voice gave a huffy sigh._ "Pathetic. For crying out loud, get back on your feet!"

_Natalie's body felt like it was made of iron. She couldn't even open her eyes._

"More pathetic then getting blown to bits?" _said a different voice. _

"The technical term is vaporized."_ said a third voice, a young child's._

"_Mom?" Natalie mumbled. "Dad? Siri?"_

"Don't forget about me." _said the one she'd waited to hear for two years._

"_Mark…" Natalie whispered._

_Slowly they came into focus, illuminating the darkness around her. _

"_Where are… Otto and the others?" Natalie mumbled. _

"Who knows, who cares?" _Raven rolled her eyes._ "Honestly, that boy. The way he toys with you… it drives me _crazy!_"

"What has he ever done to you?" _Annicka asked, looking skeptical. _

"You want that in alphabetical order or chronological?" _Raven growled. _"For starters, he made you jump in a volcano!"

"_What am I supposed to do?" Raven asked. _

"Well, you come up with an escape plan_." Raven said. "_Then that fails. Then you have a couple of kids, because that seems to be what you do in this family, then make another plan. And then you almost get out-"

"Hush, Natalya."_ Nero slid his arm around Raven's waist. _"You have to know. When Ashe sent you into the past… I sort of impregnated you."

"_Yeah, I figured._" _Natalie sighed. "Because that's just what we seem to do in this family."_

"Be careful." _Nero said. _"You should pretend that they are someone else's children. Otherwise, Viktor will kill them."

"_Otto?"_

"_Yeah, Natalie?" Otto appeared, his face overlapping Raven's._

"_I'm alive." Natalie muttered. She sat up. _

"_Great." Alex said. "Next time you pass out, how about_ breathing_?"_

"_I-" Natalie sighed. _

"_I talked to Laura." Otto said._

"_Just talked?" Alex said, arching his eyebrow. _

"_There was a fence between us."_

"_So? Put your-"_

_Natalie punched Alex in the jaw. "Was she alright?"_

"_As well as anyone in that position could possibly be." Otto sighed. "I hope Viktor doesn't…" _

_Natalie bit her lip. Then she stood up carefully, starting towards the closed door._

It's not game over. _ She thought. _It's game on.


End file.
